Sat Nov 16 21:28:42 IST 2024: ## Shami to Join Rohit Sharma in Australia for Border-Gavaskar Trophy
**Perth, Australia –** Indian pace bowler Mohammed Shami will join captain Rohit Sharma in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-match Test series commencing November 22nd in Perth. While the rest of the team arrived on November 11th, Rohit’s arrival was delayed due to personal reasons – the recent birth of his second child. Shami’s inclusion in the team was initially uncertain, contingent on his performance and fitness assessment following a comeback Ranji Trophy match.
Shami, 34, last played international cricket in the World Cup final on November 19th. He underwent ankle surgery in January and has spent the past several months rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. His recent Ranji Trophy appearance for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh, where he took 7 wickets across two innings, served as a crucial fitness test. While he showed some signs of struggle in his comeback, his Bengal coach expressed confidence in his ability to regain full form. A BCCI source confirmed that Shami’s fitness is being closely monitored by physio Nitin Patel. Both Shami and Rohit are expected to join the team before the start of the first Test.
First Piper 