India's veteran pacer, Mohammed Shami, has been ruled out of the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, which is set to begin on December 26 in Centurion. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the medical panel has not cleared Shami and therefore, he will not be traveling to South Africa for the highly anticipated Test tour.
In another significant development, pacer Deepak Chahar has withdrawn from India's One Day International (ODI) leg of the ongoing South Africa series. The BCCI has stated that Chahar is attending to a medical emergency at his home and has requested the board to remove his name from the ODI squad.
Shami has reportedly been struggling with an ankle condition, which is why his participation in the Test series against the Proteas was uncertain. The Indian cricket board had announced the squad for the series on November 30. The absence of the 33-year-old pacer could be a blow to India, as he boasts an impressive Test record.
The right-arm pacer has taken 229 wickets in 64 matches in the longest format of the sport, with an average of 27.71.
Furthermore, he emerged as the top wicket-taker in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, amassing an astounding 24 dismissals in just seven matches, with a remarkable bowling average of 10.70. His exceptional performance not only earned him multiple records but also secured his position as India's leading wicket-taker in the history of this prestigious tournament.
On the contrary, Deepak was initially selected for both the T20I and ODI squads. However, due to an unforeseen medical emergency at home, he was unable to board the flight to South Africa. Consequently, the Men's Selection Committee has decided to replace him with the talented and uncapped player, Akash Deep.
In a separate development, it has been confirmed that Shreyas Iyer will only be available for the first ODI of the upcoming three-match series. Following this, he will join the Test squad to prepare for the Test series leading up to the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test in Centurion.
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