After Team India’s 3-1 defeat in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, cricket legends and fans are making many speculations. Some are saying that if batsmen like Pujara and Rahane had been included in this series, Team India would not have lost so badly, while some people are saying that if fast bowler Mohammed Shami had been playing for Team India, then the game would have been better. There would have been some other consequences.
Meanwhile, former Team India captain Ravi Shastri and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting raised questions on Mohammed Shami’s injury management. Both these veterans believe that if this experienced fast bowler had been included in the team in the second part of the Border Gavaskar series, India could have had the upper hand.
Shami did not return to the series
Australia won the fifth and final Test in Sydney by six wickets to clinch the series 3–1 and lift the Border Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade. Shami, after recovering from an ankle injury, performed impressively for his home state Bengal in all three formats of Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 and Vijay Hazare ODI, raising hopes of his return to the Indian team.
But the BCCI medical team had officially ruled out the possibility of Shami’s return before the fourth Test in Melbourne, citing swelling in his knee. However, both Ponting and Shastri believe that India should have taken Shami on the tour of Australia.
Had Shami been in the team, the result of Sydney, Melbourne Test would have been different: Shastri
Former Indian head coach Shastri said in The ICC Review, ‘To be honest, I was very surprised by what was going on in the media as to what actually happened to Mohammed Shami in the end.’ He said, ‘Where is he when it comes to being fit? I don’t know how long he has been in the NCA (Indian Cricket Academy). There could have been proper communication regarding his condition. If I had to decide, I would bring him to Australia. Had he been there, we could have changed the results of Melbourne and Sydney Test in our favor.
What did Ricky Ponting say about Shami?
Ponting, who was the captain of Australia’s World Cup winning team, also supported Shastri’s words and said, ‘I really wonder why he was not included in the team in the middle of the series. Even if he bowled less overs, he could still make a difference. He said, ‘When you asked me initially (in the last ICC review) what would be the result of the series, I had said that Australia will win 3-1 because Shami is not in the Indian team. Had Shami, Bumrah and Siraj been in their starting team, I think the result could have been different.
