In a recent press conference ahead of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma shared concerning news about pacer Mohammed Shami's rehabilitation. Addressing questions from the media, Rohit indicated that Shami is unlikely to travel with the team for the five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia due to fitness issues.

Shami has been sidelined from cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup, and despite previous optimism about his return, he has faced ongoing setbacks. Rohit explained that Shami is currently "undercooked," having not played for an extended period, which raises concerns about his readiness for such a demanding series.

"To be honest, it is difficult to make a call on him for the Australia series. He had a setback and had swelling in his knees, which set him back in his recovery," Rohit stated. He emphasized the importance of ensuring Shami is fully fit before bringing him back into the national squad, noting, "We want him to be 100 percent fit. We don't want to bring an undercooked Shami to Australia; that is not going to be the right decision for us."

The pacer is currently working with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) staff and is expected to play a few internal matches to assess his fitness before making any international appearances. Rohit reiterated the need for Shami to regain full fitness, highlighting the challenges fast bowlers face after a prolonged absence from competitive cricket.

Despite the disappointing news, Shami himself has pushed back against rumors of his exclusion from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, stating on social media, "I am working hard and trying my level best to recover. Neither the BCCI nor I have mentioned that I am out of the Border Gavaskar series."

While Rohit confirmed the slim chances of Shami participating in the Australia series, he stopped short of completely ruling out the fast bowler’s involvement, keeping fans hopeful for a possible return.