Why is Mohammed Shami not playing today’s IND vs ENG Test?

India are without the services of senior pacer Mohammed Shami for the first Test against England at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, which began on Thursday, January 25. The hosts will miss Shami in the second Test in Visakhapatnam as well, which will be played from February 2 to 6.

The 33-year-old pacer was not named in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England since he is recovering from an ankle injury. The hosts will be hoping that he is fit for the remaining three Test matches of the series against England.

Shami has not played any match for India since his heroics in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he was the highest wicket-taker with 24 scalps in seven matches at an average of 10.71. The right-arm pacer was initially named in the Indian squad for the two-match Test series in South Africa but was subsequently ruled out as he could not prove his fitness.

In Shami’s absence, Mohammed Siraj was picked as Jasprit Bumrah’s pace-bowling partner for the first Test against England in Hyderabad. The hosts, who lost the toss and are bowling first, have gone in with three spinners - Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Axar Patel - leaving out Kuldeep Yadav.

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Shami took injections during World Cup due to chronic heel issue: Reports

A few weeks back, a report in the news agency PTI claimed that Shami played the ODI World Cup through pain, taking regular injections to deal with a chronic heel issue.

"Shami has a chronic left heel issue. A lot of people don't know that he took injections regularly during World Cup and played the entire tournament through pain," a former Bengal teammate of the pacer was quoted as saying by PTI on the condition of anonymity.

“You must understand that as you grow older, recovery from each niggle or big injury takes that more time," the source added.

Shami has been a key member of India’s Test and ODI outfits in recent years. The fast bowler has played 64 Tests, claiming 229 wickets at an average of 27.71, with six five-wicket hauls. In one-dayers, he has picked up 195 scalps in 101 matches, averaging 23.68 with five five-fers.

Shami is India’s leading wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup, with 55 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 13.52 and an economy rate of 5.13. Earlier this month, he was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award.