GT vs MI: Why is Mohammed Shami not playing IPL 2024?

India pacer Mohammed Shami’s absence will be keenly felt by the Gujarat Titans, where he served as the leader of the pace attack. The franchise has already faced the departure of their charismatic captain Hardik Pandya, who moved to Mumbai Indians for the current season, leaving Shubman Gill to take over the captaincy duties for GT.

Why is Mohammed Shami not playing IPL 2024?

Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of IPL 2024 due to a left ankle injury that requires surgery in the UK. Shami’s injury comes as a major setback for the Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of IPL 2024. The India pacer, who played a pivotal role in GT’s success in the previous two editions of the IPL, will be sorely missed by the franchise. Shami’s contribution to GT’s journey to becoming champions in 2022 and finishing as runners-up in 2023 was significant, with the 33-year-old picking up 20 and 28 wickets respectively in those seasons.

Shami’s absence raises concerns over the effectiveness of the injury management programme at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Despite undergoing special ankle injections in London in January, Shami’s condition did not improve as expected, leading to the need for surgery. Sources suggest that the NCA’s conservative approach towards Shami’s injury may have contributed to the setback, with suggestions that surgery should have been considered earlier.

The senior BCCI source revealed, “Shami was in London in the last week of January to take special ankle injections, but the injection hasn’t worked, and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for the UK for surgery. IPL seems out of the question.”

Shami’s recovery timeline is uncertain, casting doubt on his availability for India’s upcoming Test matches against Bangladesh and New Zealand. However, the aim is for him to return for the marquee away series against Australia. Given Shami’s importance to the Indian team’s pace bowling unit, his rehabilitation process will be closely monitored to ensure a full recovery.

The absence of Shami further emphasizes the importance of effective injury management strategies and raises questions about the NCA’s approach towards player rehabilitation. While Shami’s presence will be missed on the field, his health and well-being remain the top priority, with hopes for a successful surgery and swift recovery.