Shami undergoes surgery; Modi sends best wishes.

Photo-India Today

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his well wishes to Mohammed Shami, the star Indian pacer, following his ankle surgery. Shami recently underwent a successful operation on his Achilles tendon, necessitating a period of recovery. PM Modi conveyed his hopes for a swift recovery and good health to Shami, expressing confidence in the cricketer's resilience and determination in overcoming this injury.

Shami, in a post on social media platform X, revealed the outcome of his heel surgery and acknowledged that the road to recovery would require time. The injury that led to the surgery occurred during India's ODI World Cup campaign in 2023, where Shami played a pivotal role until the final defeat to Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19.

Since then, Shami has been sidelined from cricket, missing subsequent series and tournaments due to the injury. He was absent from the home T20I series against Australia, the South Africa tour, and the Afghanistan series. Furthermore, Shami is not partaking in the ongoing Test series against England.

Despite his absence from the current Test series, Shami's impact on the field has been noteworthy, particularly during India's memorable World Cup campaign. As the tournament's leading wicket-taker, Shami's contributions were instrumental in India's journey to the final. Despite grappling with discomfort, he displayed remarkable determination, claiming 24 wickets in just seven matches.

However, the recent surgery is expected to sideline Shami from the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. This news comes as a significant setback for Shami's franchise, the Gujarat Titans, where he has been a key figure in the team's pace attack. Shami's exceptional performances in previous IPL seasons, where he secured 20 and 28 wickets respectively in 2022 and 2023, underscore his value to the team. Particularly lethal with the new ball, Shami's absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming season.