Mohammed Shami’s exit from IPL 2024 due to a left ankle injury, requiring surgery, deals a major blow to Gujarat Titans, who have already lost their captain Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians.
India’s pace bowler, Mohammed Shami, has been sidelined from IPL 2024 due to a left ankle injury requiring surgery in the UK, disclosed a BCCI source to PTI. Shami’s absence deals a blow to the Gujarat Titans, already reeling from the departure of captain Hardik Pandya to the Mumbai Indians.
Shami, absent from the ongoing Test series against England, last featured for India during the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November. Despite initial hopes pinned on special ankle injections in London, his condition has not improved, leaving surgery as the sole recourse.
“Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon. But the injection hasn’t worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
A comeback before India’s upcoming Test matches appears unlikely, with eyes now set on the crucial series against Australia.
“Shami should have gone directly for surgery and that should have been NCA’s call. Just two months of rest and injections wouldn’t have worked well and that’s what has happened. He is an asset and the Indian team would need him in Australia,” the source added.
Gujarat Titans have been a standout team since joining the league in 2022. They clinched the championship in their debut season and narrowly missed retaining it the following year. Shami played a crucial role in both wins, claiming 20 wickets in 2022 and improving to 28 wickets with a stellar average of 18.64 in IPL 2023.
While there’s no official word from GT yet, they have the option to select a replacement for Shami from the unsold players in December’s IPL auction, provided their base price doesn’t exceed Shami’s.
Last Updated on February 23, 2024
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