Mohammed Shami and Wriddhiman Saha ruled out of Chennai Test
Pacer spearhead Mohammed Shami and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha are out of the fifth and final Test at Chennai, the BCCI medical staff confirmed on Sunday. While Saha suffered a hamstring injury during the second Test at Vizag, Shami was out of the ongoing fourth Test due to a sore knee.
Mohammed Shami had suffered a cramp in his right knee in the second Test of the ongoing series against England at Mohali and has been suffering from soreness. He has been advised rest and rehabilitation. He will be going to the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru to start his recovery program.
Shami picked up 10 wickets at an average of 25.2 in the first three Tests and was replaced by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the playing eleven for the Test. Shardul Thakur was called as a back-up for the pacer in the squad.Â
Saha, who suffered a hamstring tendon injury in the third Test of the ongoing series against England at Vizag, is undergoing rehabilitation programme at the NCA. Â Saha had enjoyed an extended run in 2016 and scored 366 runs in nine Tests at an average of 40.66. He also struck two half-centuries at his home ground Eden Gardens of Kolkata which earned him the Man of the Match award.
Parthiv Patel will get one more match to claim his stake of further selection but the selectors haven’t announced Shami's replacement for the fifth Test yet, which is set to be played in Chennai, starting on December 16th.