Adams says Shami’s absence a major blow for India in BGT, Australia’s McSweeney primed for Test debut

Ahead of the highly-anticipated five-match Test series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), starting on Nov.22 at Perth, former South Africa cricketer Paul Adams, expressed his belief that pacer Mohammad Shami’s absence will be a significant blow to India’s chances on the fast and bouncy Australian pitches.

Adams, who acknowledged Shami’s ability to make an impact in all conditions, emphasised, “I think he (Mohammad Shami) will be a major miss for India against Australia eyeing the conditions. The pace and bouncy wickets in Australia would have helped India in gaining an upper hand if Shami had been in the squad but that’s not in the selector’s hand as he is recovering, but I think he will be missed,” Adams told IANS in a virtual interaction arranged by SA20.

Shami’s contributions to India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia during the 2018/19 tour are well-documented. Over the course of four matches, he picked up 16 wickets at an average of 26.18, showcasing his skill in extracting bounce and seam movement.

Though injuries have disrupted his career at key moments, Shami has remained one of India’s most formidable pace bowlers. His absence on the 2020/21 tour due to a fractured right forearm was felt, though India famously triumphed 2-1.

Adams pointed out that Shami’s absence places additional pressure on Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian vice-captain, and the rest of the pace unit. “We all saw what he did in the ODI World Cup 2023, he single-handedly carried the Indian pace attack and he is someone who has the ability to extract from any pitches around the world despite the conditions. The seam position and the length are just extraordinary. The pressure will be on vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah and other pacers but I believe it will be all-rounders who will play a huge role for India, especially Ravindra Jadeja,” he added.

Shami, who has taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests, last played for India in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023 in Ahmedabad. He emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 24 wickets at an impressive average of 10.70, despite not featuring in India’s initial matches. His ability to generate reverse swing and extract movement from any pitch stood out, further cementing his reputation as one of the world’s premier fast bowlers.

Shami has been sidelined for over a year due to an Achilles tendon injury, which required surgery in February 2024 in London. Since then, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, focusing on a gradual return to bowling. Shami recently confirmed during a promotional event that he is now 100% pain-free and expressed a strong desire to play a few domestic matches before making a full-fledged comeback.

Shami is set to make his competitive return for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match in Indore. This opportunity will allow him to gain match fitness and test his form against quality domestic opposition. However, despite his recovery, the BCCI did not name Shami in the five-Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, opting for a cautious approach.

McSweeney ‘ready for Test debut: Australia batter Nathan McSweeney, who is set to make his Test debut in the first Test in Perth, is confident to face India’s potent pace bowling attack during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series as the South Australia skipper thinks he’s currently in top batting form.

McSweeney has started the 2024/25 season with scores of 55, 127 not out, 37, 72 and 137 for South Australia and added 39, 88 not out, 14 and 25 for Australia A in the two unofficial Test matches against India A. The 25-year-old was officially announced as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the first Test against India in Perth.

“In the last month or so I really feel like I’m batting the best I ever have. I think I’m the best I’ve ever been prepared to take this opportunity, so hopefully I can do that,” McSweeney told SEN Radio.

“No doubt there’s plenty of learning and experiences that I haven’t experienced yet and I’m looking forward to learning all about the challenges of Test cricket and challenging my game against the very best. There’s plenty of learning to go and plenty of improvement I hope, but I definitely feel like this is the best I’ve played and I’m ready for the challenge,” he said.

Agencies