Veteran pace bowler Mohammed Shami is poised to make his return to competitive cricket after nearly a year on the sidelines due to an ankle injury. Following an Achilles tendon surgery earlier this year, Shami is poised to make his return to cricket through two Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal.

Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed that Shami will not participate in the upcoming match against Kerala but is expected to join the team for their Round 3 match against Karnataka and the following Round 4 match against Madhya Pradesh.

“He is not available for this match (vs Kerala), but we are hopeful that Shami will join us for games against Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh,” Shukla told The Indian Express. “He is a valuable player for India, and his services will be required for the Australia series. Recently, he mentioned how keen he is about playing a couple of Ranji games for Bengal before traveling to Australia. Good outings in the Ranji Trophy will be beneficial for him ahead of the Australia tour.”

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This stint will serve as a crucial preparation for his upcoming tour to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Shami played a crucial role in India’s Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, taking 16 wickets in four matches. He was also part of the first Test in the subsequent 2020-21 tour after recovering from an injury sustained in Adelaide.

Shami is unlikely to travel with the Indian team for their upcoming tour of Australia, which is set to depart after the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. His selection for the tour will depend on his match fitness demonstrated during the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season. 

Rohit Sharma, captain of Team India, expressed caution regarding Shami’s return, stating, “We don’t want to bring an undercooked Shami to Australia.”