Ravi Shastri Slams BCCI Over Improper Communication on Mohammed Shami Fitness

India's former cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri blasts the BCCI over improper communication regarding the fitness of star pacer Mohammed Shami. He mentioned how long we haven't known his sitting in NCA (National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru and why he hadn't communicated properly on the situation. He even criticises the management for not flying Shami to Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Even if he was not fit to play, he could have been with the team, and a decision could have been taken at the last moment.

Shami played his last game in the ICC Cricket World Cup final against Australia, and since then, he has been out of cricket due to an ankle injury. He underwent surgery early last year and made a small appearance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy late in the year. After his appearance in the domestic tournament, fans expected he might be available for the last two tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, the BCCI informed them he was still unfit for the Melbourne & Sydney test, citing continuous knee swelling.

In the latest ICC review, when asked if he could change the direction of the series, “Absolutely, there's no question about that,”

“To be honest, I was shocked by the communication going on in the media as to what exactly happened to Mohammed Shami. Where is he when it comes to recovery?”

He added, “He's been sitting in the NCA for a long time. I don't know how long. Why can't proper communication come out on where he stands? A player of his ability, I would have brought him to Australia,”

“I would have kept him part of the team and ensured his rehabilitation was done with the team. And then if we thought by the third Test match that no, this guy can't play the rest of the series, I would let him go.”

“But I would have brought him with the team, kept him, and monitored him with the best of the physios and best advice, even from international physios in Australia, and saw how he went. But I would have kept him in the mix,” Shastri said in the ICC review. 

Ponting Supported Ravi Shastri’s take 

Ricky Ponting, former Australian captain, also agreed with Shashi’s take.

Pointing said, “I was really surprised when he wasn't flown out even halfway through the series, two Test matches in. India's make-up had Nitish Reddy there. So you had another seam bowling all-rounder anyway.”

“So if Shami, even if he wasn't fully fit, if he had to bowl fewer overs in a day, you had a backup seam bowling option to help him out, and I think he could have been the difference,” 

“When you asked me (in an earlier The ICC Review) at the start about what I thought the result would be, I said 3-1 Australia because Shami wasn't there. That was the first thing I said. That's how important I felt he was to India.

“If Shami, Bumrah and Siraj were in their starting team, I think things could have been completely different here in Australia," 

Shastri continued with his take, saying Shami’s addition could have turned the series around and supported Jasprit Bumrah, who also suffered from injury issues in the last match.

“It got so tight at 1-1 going into Melbourne. You just needed that experience and support. For all you know, he might have raised the bar as well. And it would have been the two guys there (Bumrah and Shami).”

“Pat Cummins couldn't have done it on his own; Scotty Boland had to step in. So you needed a bowler of his experience. You know, as hard as Mohammed Siraj tried, you needed Shami's experience there,” 

But in the end, the result of the Border Gavaskar Trophy was against India, where the team lost the series after 10 years by 3-1.