Mohammed Shami unlikely to be picked for England Test tour
What's the story
India's star pacer Mohammed Shami is unlikely to be part of the squad for the upcoming five-Test tour of England.
Although he is fit to bowl in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2025 season for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), ESPNcricinfo reports that he hasn't achieved the required workload for Test cricket.
Shami last played a Test match during the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.
Medical assessment
BCCI medical staff assess Shami's fitness
A member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical staff recently visited Lucknow to assess Shami's fitness.
The report adds that the assessment was done ahead of SRH's match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 23.
While it's not clear if selectors have made their final decision, there's a strong possibility they might not include him unless they get a positive report from the medical team.
Injury concerns
Shami's injury history and current form
Shami, now 34, had successfully recovered from his ankle surgery in February 2024.
However, he has since complained of discomfort in his right knee, which has disrupted his plans to gradually build up to Test-match levels.
This has led to doubts in India's selection panel about the possibility of picking him for the England tour.
Performance review
Shami's performance and potential replacements
Despite his injury woes, Shami was the leading wicket-taker at the 2023 ODI World Cup, playing through pain as India reached the final.
He missed all of India's matches in 2024 due to his injury and recovery process, returning only in January this year for a limited-overs series against England.
If not picked for the England tour, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and others could be his replacements.
Fitness doubts
BCCI's concerns over Shami's ability to bowl long spells
The BCCI has been informed by its medical team that Shami may not be able to bowl longer spells.
Considering Jasprit Bumrah's recent admission that his body can't handle more than three Tests matches, the selection committee is now hesitant about including another bowler with similar fitness issues.
This decision could significantly affect India's strategic planning for the upcoming series against England.
Information
Shami owns 229 scalps for India in Tests
In 64 matches, Shami owns 229 scalps for India at 27.71. He has 12 four-fers and 6 fifers under his belt. Overall in 89 First-Class games, he has managed 339 scalps at 26.99.
Squad
Indian squad is likely to be announced on May 24
India's upcoming tour of England will see Shubman Gill leading the Indian Test team, as per Cricbuzz.
The final squad is expected to be announced on Saturday, May 24, 2025, after a meeting of the national selection committee in Mumbai.
Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair could be new faces considering their phenomenal performances in the recent domestic season.
Do you know?
India's likely Test squad for the England tour
India's likely Test squad for the England tour: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Rishabh Pant (wk), Druv Jurel (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.