Mohammed Shami tests positive for Covid-19, ruled out of T20I series against Australia; Umesh Yadav replaces pacer

Team India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the T20I series against Australia after testing positive for Covid-19.

Team India's star pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of India's upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia after testing positive for Covid-19. Fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been named as his replacement for the series.

Mohammed Shami (Action Images via Reuters)

“Fast bowler Mohd. Shami will not be able to take part in the upcoming three-day Mastercard T20I series against Australia after testing positive for Covid-19. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Umesh Yadav as his replacement.," read the BCCI statement.

Shami had been called back in Indian T20I squad for the first time since the World Cup last year; he has also been named as one of the four standby players for the 2022 edition of the tournament, scheduled to take place in Australia in October-November.

Asked how long he thinks Shami will take to recover, the BCCI source told PTI that it seemed hopeful that he would be fit for the next series against Australia.

"We are expecting Shami to be fit for the next series against South Africa. There is 10 days before that series starts. So we are more than hopeful you can say," he said.

Umesh, who will be replacing Shami in the squad against Australia, has earlier faced a quadriceps injury that cut short his County stint with Middlesex. He has taken 16 wickets in seven games for the side including a five-wicket haul in the Royal London Cup.

However, the BCCI source said that Umesh had been undergoing rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru and is "fit to play."

"Umesh was doing his rehab at the NCA after he came back and it was not a tear, so he has now recovered and is fit to play," the source told PTI.