Shami’s India exile may continue despite BCCI concern over Bumrah, injury crisis before Afghanistan Test: Report

India will play a one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 6

Not once, but on numerous occasions over the last few years, the selection committee has made it clear that it has moved on from Mohammed Shami. Even as the veteran fast bowler racked up an impressive showing in the last Ranji Trophy season and remained a regular in domestic cricket to prove that, even at 35 and amid long-standing injury concerns, he can still handle the grind, it is unlikely he will make a return when the selectors meet to pick the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan.

Will Mohammed Shami make an India comeback after the IPL? (AFP)

According to a report in The Times of India, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is likely to meet over the weekend or next week to discuss the roadmap ahead in Test cricket, with an initial focus on the upcoming one-off game against Afghanistan. The match will not be part of the ongoing WTC cycle, yet it has been reported that the selectors and team management want their strongest squad to feature.

However, a major concern remains the availability of fast bowlers for the game, which will begin less than a week after the conclusion of the IPL 2026 season. Sources told the national daily that the selectors are currently waiting for the playoff fixtures to be decided, which will determine which teams qualify and, in turn, which fast bowlers will be available for the Test match.

After Tuesday’s game, only two teams have been eliminated — the Mumbai Indians and the Lucknow Super Giants. This means Jasprit Bumrah could be available for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, which begins on June 6. However, the report notes that the selectors will also discuss workload management in Bumrah’s case.

Shami is another bowler who could have been in contention, given that Akash Deep and Harshit Rana are still recovering from their respective injuries. However, the BCCI is unlikely to revisit the experienced pacer, as indicated in the report.

The selectors do have Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to rely on for the Test, along with fast-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. There is also Anshul Kamboj in the ranks, who made his debut during last year’s England tour.

“The selectors don’t believe in compromising the Test squad just because India are playing Afghanistan. They want the best lineup to play and don’t want to distribute Test caps easily. Siraj’s workload threshold is very high. Prasidh hasn’t played an IPL match since April 24. Nitish Kumar Reddy is also seen as someone who can contribute to the seam-bowling department. The BCCI monitors all data points when it comes to workload management,” a BCCI source said.

Adding further, the source said, “A call on Bumrah will be taken after a detailed discussion. The last time India played Afghanistan in a Test match, the frontline XI was fielded.”