Reports: BCCI wants Mohammad Shami to be in right frame of mind ahead of England tour

Battling with personal issues as well as injuries, Mohammad Shami has had a disastrous last three months. No cricketer would want to be in his place at the moment as he saw himself excluded from the squad for the Test match against Afghanistan. However, according to TOI, the pacer is still enjoying the team management's confidence, who has been more concerned about getting him in the right frame of mind for the Test series in England, which will be starting in less than 2 month's time.

“There is no doubt about his cricketing skills. He is doing fine with it. The team just wants to get him back in shape – in body and mind. He is vital to the team’s prospects in England,” a source close to the team management told TOI on Monday. 

Few have also suggested that Shami needed a break from and should be aiming a comeback fresh with his focus back on the game. His fitness level has always flirted with the cut-off set by the team management, and now, the 28-year-old has reached his lowest level. Reports also mentioned that Shami had barely trained during his tenure with the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. Apparently, DD coach Ricky Ponting had told him to take a break from the team’s travel since he was struggling to cope with his personal issues. 

“We will work out a programme for him and the team management will monitor him constantly. He needs to be engaged in cricket. Once he attains the desired fitness levels, he should be fine to go,” the source said. “The team management has been talking to him and will be spending more time with him and try to help him move on,” he added.

Shami has not been picked for the limited-overs leg of the tour of Ireland and England beginning in the last week of this month. With the selectors likely to give some of the Test specialists a chance in the four-day fixture between India ‘A’ and West Indies ‘A’ in England ahead of the Test series, Shami would have about three weeks to get his fitness on track.