Mohammed Shami tests positive for Covid-19, veteran pacer called back

Mohammed Shami will be replaced by another veteran pacer 35-year-old Umesh Yadav, who played last of his seven T20Is about more than three years ago against Australia is back in the scheme of things, having recovered from a quadriceps injury.

“Yes, Shami has tested COVID-19 positive. But there is nothing to worry as the symptoms are mild. But he will have to remain in isolation and will be able to rejoin the squad once he tests negative. It is unfortunate but that is how life is,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.Umesh Yadav had a terrific first leg of 2022 IPL for KKR when he swung the ball at a great pace.

Asked how long he thinks Shami will take to recover, the source seemed hopeful that he would be fit for the next series against South Africa.

“We are expecting Shami to be fit for the next series against South Africa. There is 10 days before that series starts. So we are more than hopeful you can say,” he said.

But 35-year-old Umesh’s comeback is nothing short of fairytale in this format as his county stint with MIddlesex was cut short by a quadriceps injury.

“Umesh was doing his rehab at the NCA after he came back and it was not a tear, so he has now recovered and is fit to play,” the source said.

Meanwhile, since July 2022, Mohammed Shami has not been seen on the field. He hasn’t played a T20 International since November 2021. Nonetheless, his experience and performance in the IPL – 20 wickets in 16 matches for the champions Gujarat Titans – were viewed as valuable assets by the selectors, driving them to retain him on standby for the World Cup.

The matches against Australia on September 20, 23, and 25 and South Africa on September 28, October 2 and October 4 are India’s final T20Is before the World Cup next month. As such, they provided an opportunity for the team to assess Shami’s fitness following a two-month break from cricket.

These matches will serve as quality game practice for Men in Blue for ICC T20 World Cup 2022, which will go on from October 16 to November 13 this year.

India could not even qualify for semis the previous year as they crashed out of the competition in the Super 12 phase.

India Squad for Australia T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar and Jasprit Bumrah.

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