Pacer Mohammad Shami was ruled out of India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup on Friday. This has raised fresh doubts over his participation in the marqee ICC World Twenty20 that follows the continental tournament.
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been named as the replacement for Shami by the selection committee.
After a long injury layoff, post last year’s World Cup, Shami was recalled to the national squad for the tour Down Under, only to be ruled out again by a hamstring injury.
“The BCCI medical team confirms that Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of Asia Cup, 2016. The decision has been taken to give him more time to recover from the Grade II injury to his left hamstring,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement.
Shami had not proved his fitness at the time of the announcement of the squad, on 5 February, for the two tournaments.
However, senior selection committee chairman Sandeep Patil had claimed, at a press conference during the announcement of the team, that “Shami had started bowling”. He had expressed his confidence that the bowler will be fit in time for the big event.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)