Shami was forced to retire hurt and went for scans after the game
India are awaiting Mohammed Shami‘s scan results and news on his further participation in the series, after the bowler retired hurt during their second innings. At the post-match presentation, captain Virat Kohli said that Shami had been in pain and could “hardly lift” his bowling arm after being struck by a Pat Cummins bouncer. Shami has gone for scans and his status will be known after the results.
Shami came in at No. 11 and retired hurt during India’s dramatic first-session collapse, after he tried to evade a short ball, backing away to the leg side. The ball followed him down leg side and he was caught in a tangle and struck on his right forearm.
He was visibly uncomfortable and the team doctor was out immediately to tend to the blow. After a dose of pain-relief spray and a massage, Shami’s forearm was strapped up by the doctor and he looked set to resume batting. But after taking his mark at the crease, Shami once again took a short walk towards the leg side before calling the doctor back on to the field. After a long chat, he went off the field to end the India innings.
“He is going for a scan. He was in a lot of pain, could hardly lift his arm,” Kohli said. “Probably in the evening we’ll know exactly what is happening.”
The next Test is a week away but an injury to Shami would severely dent India, who were reduced to their lowest-ever Test total in Adelaide, and will be without Kohli for the rest of the series. With Rohit Sharma also not available till the third Test – he is in quarantine after landing in Australia – and Ishant Sharma already missing the tour, Shami’s absence would leave India without four senior players as they look to bounce back in the series.
Shami is India’s premiere fast bowler alongside Jasprit Bumrah and had been rested through half of India’s limited-overs series at the start of the tour, in order to be ready for the four Tests. The two fast bowlers in India’s squad who can replace him are Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj, who are both uncapped in Tests.