Shami unlikely to make India's Test squad for England tour

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is unlikely to be picked in India's squad for the five-Test tour of England starting on June 20.

While Shami is fit to bowl for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ongoing IPL, ESPNcricinfo has learned he has not built up the necessary workload for Test cricket. He has not played a Test match since the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.

It is understood that a member of the BCCI medical staff travelled to Lucknow this week to assess Shami ahead of SRH's game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 23. The selectors had wanted to include Shami as part of the India A squad. However, with no certainty on his fitness to bowl long spells, that option was struck off. While it could not be confirmed whether the selectors have made up their mind regarding the Test selection, it is likely they might play safe and not pick him unless there is a favourable report from the medical staff.

Shami, 34, had recovered successfully from the ankle surgery he had in February 2024 but started to experience pain in his right knee, for which he has been seeking treatment. It hasn't prevented him from bowling, but it has hindered his plan to gradually increase his workloads toward Test-match levels, raising concerns in India's selection panel about the viability of picking him for the tour of England.

Before his ankle injury troubles, Shami was the leading wicket-taker at the 2023 ODI World Cup, playing through pain during India's run to the final. He then missed all of India's fixtures in 2024 due to his injury, recovery from surgery, and knee issues, and only made his international comeback during the limited-overs series against England in January this year.

Shami had said he felt like a "toddler learning to walk" during his recovery from ankle surgery, and feared his career might have ended abruptly. However, he was the joint second-highest wicket-taker during India's victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

He hasn't been in good bowling form for SRH during IPL 2025, though, playing only nine of their first 13 league games, and taking just six wickets at an average of 56.16 and economy rate of 11.23.

If Shami is not picked, India's selectors are likely to choose his replacement from a pool that includes Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed and Harshit Rana.

India's selectors are expected to announce the squad for the five-Test series in England on Saturday afternoon.