Mohammed Shami to replace Jasprit Bumrah in T20 World Cup squad, likely to fly to Australia next week: Report

Mohammed Shami is the frontrunner to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the T20 World Cup squad. The right-arm pacer will reportedly leave for Australia next week. Shami recently recovered from COVID-19. He was forced to miss the home T20I series against Australia and South Africa due to the infection.

TN Sports Desk

Updated Oct 7, 2022, 22:25 IST

Mohammed Shami will fly to Australia next week.

Photo : ANI

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Mohammed Shami is likely to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the T20 World Cup squad
He will fly to Australia next week
Bumrah has been ruled out of the tournament due to a back issue

Just a day after the 3rd T20I against South Africa on Tuesday (October 4), Rohit Sharma-led Team India flew to Australia to prepare for the T20 World Cup. A total of 14 players and the members of the coaching staff headed by Rahul Dravid boarded the plane to the continent a couple of days back.

The Men in Blue had an option of naming Jasprit Bumrah's replacement and taking him to Australia. But that wasn't the case. As per PTI, the selectors have inked on the name of who will join the team.

As per the report, Mohammed Shami is Bumrah's replacement as of now and he will join the national team in Australia next week. The senior pacer is on standby for the tournament. Shami was highly expected to replace Bumrah but the BCCI has probably delayed the announcement due to him contracting COVID-19 before the Australia series.

Shami hasn't played competitive cricket for a while and might have to prove his fitness. "Mohammed Shami, if fit, was always going to be the first replacement as that's the closest Indian team can get in terms of sheer quality. He will be joining some time next week," a source was quoted as saying by PTI. Deepak Chahar is another pacer on the standby list.

But given Shami's experience, he is the favourite to be part of the ICC event. The right-arm pacer was part of the 2021 T20 WC squad as well.

The standby players are also expected to join the national team in Australia after the end of the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. Team India will play a couple of matches against Western Australia next week.

After that, the Men in Blue will play two warm-up matches against Australia and New Zealand. The 2007 T20 WC-winning team is scheduled to kick off its campaign against Pakistan on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

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