During training, captain Shubman Gill sustained an elbow injury from Mohammed Siraj's ball; fitness issues with Hardik Pandya also worry the team

In Indian cricket, the appearance of any player in the squad is news, but sometimes their absence becomes an even more significant story. This is what is happening with Mohammed Shami. When the team squad for the ODI series against the West Indies was announced, 37-year-old Ravindra Jadeja returned, Akib Nabi received his first ODI invitation, and Naman Diri was given a chance. Nevertheless, 36-year-old Mohammed Shami remained outside the squad again.

This raises the main question: why has the decision regarding Shami not changed? The answer lies in the fact that the decision regarding Jadeja was changed. The player who was not in the ODI squad a few months ago has now returned to the team. In light of this, the natural question arises: why is the door still closed for Shami?

It is necessary that emotions do not play a role in selection. It is absolutely true that an experienced player cannot be given a spot solely based on past achievements. However, consistency is also important for understanding selection decisions. Jadeja's return has created an interesting context in this situation.

If there were a plan to use Shami in ODIs, he would be in this team. According to sources, Shami definitely had a 'chance outside the main squad,' but ultimately, the selectors did not choose him. The question here is not so much whether Shami should be in the team, but rather what the selectors' mindset towards him is.

Instead of Shami, experienced options like Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna were included in the squad. Furthermore, Gurnoor Barar and Akib Nabi took places. For Nabi, this is his first challenge in ODIs. This means that the selectors are not just meeting current needs but are also considering new options.

This is important in the context of preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Before the next World Cup, the team needs to clearly define its choices among fast bowlers. Therefore, testing new players is a natural part of the selection process.

However, Shami's constant absence in this process sparks debate. Is Shami no longer part of the selectors' future plans? At present, it is premature to draw any final conclusions, as the selectors have not made an official statement that Shami is permanently excluded from the ODI plan.

Nevertheless, constant absence from the squad itself is a signal that cannot be ignored in cricket.

Considering Shami's case only through the lens of age would be incomplete. He is one of India's most experienced fast bowlers. His career includes over 200 wickets in ODIs, impact in major venues like the World Cup, and experience in a long international career. But this is where the question arises between the selectors and Shami.

Are the selectors prioritizing the future, or do they still want to keep the possibility of Shami's return open? If the plan is entirely focused on the future, then giving chances to new players like Nabi is understandable. But if Shami is still part of the ODI plan, then the reason for his constant exclusion must be more obvious.

This is where the Jadeja story comes into play. Jadeja's return is the most interesting part of the whole affair because it shows that selectors can change their decision about a player. With changes in circumstances, performance, or team needs, the door can reopen.

Then why doesn't the same door open in Shami's case? This question is related more to the direction of selection than to Shami's achievements. If Shami is no longer considered part of the team's future, then providing constant opportunities to new bowlers may be part of this strategy. But if that is not the case, the reason for Shami's exclusion will remain an open question.

Shami is not complaining, so the questions don't end... Shami's attitude towards the situation was also discussed. Shami is not among the players who publicly complain often. He has a career, achievements, and experience in big matches.

However, the player's silence cannot be considered an answer to the selection question. Regardless of whether Shami speaks or not, the question remains open.

On one hand, the decision regarding Jadeja was changed. On the other hand, a new player like Nabi received a direct spot in the ODI team. And in the middle is Shami, for whom the door has not yet opened. This is the biggest story of this selection.

Could this be just one series? Caution is needed here. Shami's absence in the series against the West Indies does not necessarily mean the end of his ODI career. One three-match series does not define the entire picture of the 2027 World Cup.

But if this model continues in the future, new fast bowlers will get chances, and Shami will be constantly excluded, then the grounds for assuming that the selectors are moving towards the next generation will become very strong.

At present, the picture is this: Jadeja has returned, Nabi has made his ODI debut, but Shami remains outside the squad. And so, the question goes beyond one series: why has the decision for Shami not changed? Has the place of this experienced bowler in the selectors' plans for 2027 become as it was before?

The experienced fast bowler of the Indian team, Bumneshwar Kumar, openly discussed his long-term absence from international cricket. He had been out of the team for almost four years, having last played in a T20 International match against New Zealand in November 2022.

Kumar explained why he initially thought he could return to the Team India lineup soon, and how he gradually realized that this would not happen. He discussed his expectations of returning to the team in detail during a podcast with Jatin Sapru.

According to Kumar, after his visit to New Zealand, he was counting on a quick return to the Indian team. Team representatives called him, and based on that conversation, he believed they might bring him back within the next two series. However, this did not happen, and over time, he understood that his initial hopes were unfounded.

He noted that initially, he had high hopes of returning to Team India, but then he decided to let go of that expectation. Kumar stated that he had already overcome the period of constantly waiting for the next series.

Recalling his period of absence from Team India, Kumar admitted that accepting this reality was not easy. When it became clear that a return would not happen, he accepted the situation. His family played a very important role in providing support during this difficult time.

Bumneshwar Kumar also mentioned the 2022 T20 World Cup. India lost to England in the semi-finals, and the team exited the tournament. He recounted that this happened in Adelaide. Upon returning to his room, he told his wife, Nupur, that it was his last World Cup. He explained this by saying that, based on his experience, he saw that after losing in such a tournament, selectors tend to look forward, and that is correct.

Despite Kumar giving up hope of returning to Team India, his desire to play for India remains. He emphasized that he plays not to prove anything to anyone, but if he is given another chance to play for India, he would be happy about it.

Discussions about Kumar's possible return to Team India reignited after his impressive performances in the IPL. In the 2025 season, he took 17 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In the 2026 season, he surpassed this figure, taking 28 wickets. After two outstanding seasons, fans and sports experts began demanding his inclusion in the Indian T20 team, and Kumar himself agreed that he felt worthy of a spot in the squad.

In Indian cricket, the discussion is no longer just about when a player will recover, but also how long they will remain healthy after returning. A return after four months sounds encouraging, but if they play a few matches and then get injured again with the same or another injury, the point of this rush becomes unclear. This very question has sparked a debate around the Injury Management System of the Indian team.

During these debates, reports emerged about the dismissal of Indian team physiotherapist Kamlesh Jain. He is currently on notice leave, and new medical staff is expected to be brought in soon to replace him. These changes occurred while questions about the physical condition and injuries within the Indian squad are constantly being raised. Nevertheless, Jain's decision cannot be directly linked to the injury of any specific player.

Injuries to fast bowlers are part of cricket. However, the problem arises when a player returns after an injury, undergoes rehabilitation, and then ends up back in the medical room. This raises three questions: was the injury diagnosed correctly? Was there an error in the rehabilitation process? And was the decision to return made too early?

Therefore, the idea of a 'quick return' must now be questioned. It is better to spend six months than to return a player so that they can play continuously without fear of the next injury, even if it takes longer than four months.

Judging a player's availability solely by the calendar can be dangerous. True success is not in them taking the field after four months, but in them remaining on the field after four, six, or even a year.

Jasprit Bumrah is one of the brightest examples of how complex decisions about fitness can be in Indian cricket. After sustaining a left knee injury during an ODI match against England in July 2026, he was excluded from the Test series in Sri Lanka. Despite rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE), he could not fully recover in time.

Currently, in September, his fitness is once again being discussed. He has been included in the squad for the T20 series against Afghanistan and the Asian Games, but assessing his readiness remains critical. According to the latest reports, Bumrah has passed a fitness test and is ready for selection.

This shows that the question is not just 'is he ready,' but 'is he ready for what load?'

The case of Rishabh Pant is also important in this discussion. In 2023, he traveled to New Zealand for surgery, after which a BCCI medical update indicated that he was undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA along with Jasprit Bumrah. Pant himself stated that it took him about 24–26 weeks to return to bowling after the operation.

Thus, this presents an example of a long process, not a 'quick return.' The case of Mohammed Shami is also worth remembering: he was absent from cricket for a long time due to a heel operation and did not participate in IPL 2024.

And Rishabh Pant: after a terrible accident in December 2022, he returned after multiple surgeries and approximately 14 months of rehabilitation. His preparation was based on a long process, not on rushing.

These cases clearly show that long rehabilitation is not always a negative factor; sometimes a player needs more time to fully recover.

Harshit Rana's situation in 2026 further intensified this discussion. Initially, he missed the T20 World Cup and IPL due to a hamstring injury. Upon his return, he sustained another hamstring injury during a fitness test and was excluded from the Asian Games, except for the series against Afghanistan.

This is where the term 'injury cycle' gains the most significance. If a player returns after rehabilitation and then gets injured again during a fitness test, it cannot be attributed solely to fate. A complete review of the entire process is necessary: training, load, recovery, injury diagnosis, and rehabilitation.

The decision must now be based not on 'speed,' but on the 'correctness' of the return.

Indian cricket possesses one of the strongest cricket systems in the world and modern medical capabilities. Therefore, the goal should not just be to get the player back on the field as soon as possible, but to return him completely healthy.