The Board of Control for Cricket in India today announced the full India squad for the fifth and final Test in the ongoing India vs England Test series. In the same media advisory, BCCI shared updates on the health of KL Rahul who had suffered a quadricep injury early in the Test series as well as Mohammed Shami who underwent a heel surgery on February 26, 2024.
"Mohd. Shami successfully underwent a surgery on 26th February, 2024 for his right heel problem. He is recovering well and will soon head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to commence his rehabilitation process," the BCCI media advisory said.
To be sure, recovery from Achilles tendon surgery usually needs three to six months, including physiotherapy. Shami may need to wear a walking boot for six to 12 weeks after the surgery to slowly return to normalcy.
Earlier this week, news broke that Mohammed Shami was all but ruled out of the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (starting on March 22) after undergoing surgery on his right Achilles tendon in London on Monday.
On Monday, he posted photographs from the hospital on X and wrote: "I had a successful heel operation on my Achilles tendon. Recovery will take some time, but I am looking forward to getting back on my feet."
Just had a successful heel operation on my achilles tendon! Recovery is going to take some time, but looking forward to getting back on my feet. #AchillesRecovery #HeelSurgery #RoadToRecovery pic.twitter.com/LYpzCNyKjSRelated stories
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Under a new captain in Shubman Gill, GT will need to regroup itself as it will also miss the services of Hardik Pandya, who has moved back to Mumbai Indians in an all cash deal.
Shami's last appearance came in the ODI World Cup last year. He played a dominant role in India's run to the final with 24 wickets at 12.20 strike-rate. The 33-year-old played only seven matches but finished as the leading wicket-taker. He used injections to get temporary relief from the ankle pain.
Shami was part of the squad for the Test series in South Africa in December 2023, but he withdrew once the ankle injury aggravated. He thought he could recover in time for the home series versus England, but the ankle issue resurfaced and he had to report to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
In Shami's absence, India handed the Test cap to Akash Deep in Ranchi, and recalled Mukesh Kumar, who debuted in the Caribbean last year.
It is unlikely that Shami will recover for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies starting on June 1, five days after the conclusion of the IPL. He could directly be on the flight to Australia for the five-match Test series towards the end of the year.
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