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After losing their second consecutive WTC Final, Team India are looking to reorganising their squad for the upcoming West Indies tour as star players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Shami have been left out of the selection for the Test and ODI series in the Caribbean. Reportedly, the 32-year-old Shami has requested India coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma for a complete rest ahead of the Windies series.
After failing to make an impact in India's WTC Final 2023 loss against Australia at The Oval, Pujara was not selected for the West Indies tour, scheduled to commence on July 12. On the other hand, Umesh Yadav has picked up an injury that ruled him out of the selection for the upcoming series.
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According to a report in The Indian Express, Star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami walked up to Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma after the conclusion of the WTC Final 2023 and requested a complete rest for the Tests and ODIs against the West Indies. Shami's request came in the wake of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 around the corner as the Indian Premier League 2023 purple cap-winner require to manage his workload.
Shami has been a go-to bowler for Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya's squads in international cricket and the IPL respectively. Following that, Shami has bowled a lot of deliveries this year and requires to regain strength to avoid any fitness concerns. As per the drafts, the tentative date for the ODI World Cup 2023 is October 5, and the two-time winners, India are already dealing with injuries to a few star players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul.
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The report further mentioned, Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath stated that a fast bowler has to take a break every 12 months to get stronger. McGrath told The Indian Express, "You’re never going to make a fast bowler who will never get injured. Because it’s just the nature of the beast... If you just play 12 months a year without having a rest or having an offseason sooner or later, you are gonna get injured."
