Shami out of Australia tour with leg injury

MUMBAI (Reuters) – Mohammed Shami will have to wait a little longer for his return to international cricket after the fast bowler was sidelined for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.

The 25-year-old played through pain the last time India toured Australia and finished as his team’s second-highest wicket taker at the 2015 World Cup, claiming 17 victims.

He underwent surgery after returning from Australia in March and was out of action until he returned to domestic cricket last month.

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) named paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar as Shami’s replacement for the tour, where India will play five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches.

“The BCCI medical team confirms that Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of India’s tour of Australia due to injury,” the board said in a statement.

“He sustained a Grade II injury to his left hamstring, which will restrict him from playing active cricket for about four-to-six weeks.”

As hosts, India will hope to have the right-arm bowler back to full fitness for the World Twenty20 starting on March 8.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by John O’Brien)