There might be a serious rift in the Indian Test team, with reports of a falling out between captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Mohammed Shami, with the latter yet to join the touring squad.
The skipper said in the post-Adelaide press conference that “the door is very much open” for the paceman, who has been playing domestic cricket following an injury that sidelined him for more than a year, later in the Border-Gavaskar series.
However, with calls to add him to the national setup following the 10-wicket loss to Australia, it seems fitness is not the main issue according to Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran, which claims that the reason that there is tension between the two Test stars.
“This dates back to last month, when India were in the middle of a Test series against New Zealand,” The Hindustan Times published, relaying the report from Dainik Jagran.
“Ahead of the opener in Bengaluru, Rohit revealed that, unlike the belief that Shami is fully fit, there’s swelling in his knee.
“Before this, Shami had retaliated to media reports that he had picked up a new injury, calling it fake and reiterating that he was fit and raring to go. This was just the tip of the iceberg, though.
“The report claims Rohit and Shami met after New Zealand beat India in the first Test, but had a conversation that was anything but smooth.
“When Shami was at NCA, he met Rohit during the first Test in Bengaluru. During their meeting, the two had a heated exchange over the captain’s remark on Shami when asked about his current status and availability for the New Zealand and Australia Test series, Jagran quoted a source as saying.
Mohammed Shami celebrates (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
“The question is clear: Does Rohit not want Shami in India’s Test set-up? Why else is there still no clarity over his joining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?”
Shami has been in good form in limited overs domestically, even with the bat, smashing 32 runs off 17 balls at No.10.
Another Indian newspaper, the Deccan Herald has also confirmed that Shami is unclear over his international comeback.
“He looks pretty much on course even though it is a four-over format but in a Test match as a premier bowling partner of Jasprit Bumrah, he would be expected to bowl at least three if not four spells of 20 overs in a day on an average,” the report said.
“It is believed that national selectors are willing to pick him as and when he is deemed fit but there is a discussion in the BCCI corridors that the veteran speedster himself has told the NCA medical team that ‘he is still not Test match ready’.
“He has been telling his assessors that he has no problems while bowling but feels a bit of swelling in his knee after matches, something that Test skipper Rohit Sharma also mentioned in his media interaction after losing the Adelaide Test.”
The Shami feud speculation comes as Sharma himself is facing heat from former Indian greats, with India legend Sunil Gavaskar stating that Sharma looked “a little lost” in his return and wants him to return to the opening position in place of KL Rahul.
“I think the feet aren’t moving as they should. He needs to do a little bit of exercise before coming to the crease and try to get some circulation going in the legs,” Gavaskar said in the Deccan Chronicle.
“When he comes in to bat, maybe run in a little bit, so that the circulation is there. Do some jogging before you take the first ball.”
(Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
The criticism was echoed by Aakash Chopra who has raised doubts over his leadership, given Sharma has already lost four consecutive matches as captain and the all-time Indian record is six
Particularly the former Indian player was critical of the tactics bowling to Travis Head whose century turned out to be a match-winning knock.
“Did we bowl bouncers to Head? You have to bowl bouncers on Head’s head. Until we do that, he doesn’t get out and keeps troubling us. He has done that earlier and is doing it now also. He did that in the World Cup final and the WTC final as well,” he said.
“Jasprit Bumrah had bowled a four-over spell and had already picked up a wicket in that. So why did he bowl only four overs, and didn’t bowl after that at all?
“He didn’t bowl in the entire session. Rohit’s captaincy – let’s call a spade a spade. We saw defensive captaincy. He allowed the match to drift.
“The captaincy has been a little lacklustre.”
>Cricket News
%20(3).jpeg)
0 Comments