Mohammed Shami came positive for Covid-19, Umesh Yadav brought in as a replacement.
Mohammed Shami came positive for Covid-19, Umesh Yadav brought in as a replacement. Mohammed Shami tested positive for Covid-19, so he can’t play in the T20I series between India and Australia that starts on Tuesday in Mohali. Umesh Yadav was supposed to get treatment for a quad injury in Bengaluru. Still, they have added him to the team, and he can now play his first Twenty20 International in over two years.
Even though Umesh doesn’t play much international cricket, he is a regular in the IPL. This past season, he was one of the best bowlers in the powerplay, taking 16 wickets at an economy of 7.06. He is also in sufficiently good health right now. In the Royal London One-Day Cup, he led the way for Middlesex.
Shami – In and Out
India’s last T20Is will be on September 20, 23, and 25 against Australia. Then there are matches on September 28, October 2, and October 4 against South Africa. Then, next month, they will go to the T20 World Cup. So, they gave the team a chance to see how well Shami could play cricket again after a two-month break.
Shami, who is 32 years old, has not appeared on the field since July 2022. Also, he hasn’t played a T20I since November 2021. Still, his experience and performance in the IPL are important assets. He bagged 20 wickets in 16 games for the champions Gujarat Titans. So the selectors decided to keep him on standby for the World Cup.
This is the second time in about a month that an important member of India’s team is reported as affected by Covid-19. Their head coach, Rahul Dravid, also had the virus right before the Asia Cup. As a result, he had to put off his trip to the UAE. However, he only had mild symptoms. Hence, he was able to join the team again after their first game against Pakistan.
Read More: Madan Lal raises doubts about India’s T20I squad’s omission of Mohammed Shami.