India will not have the services of pacer Mohammed Shami in their quest to register a maiden Test series win in South Africa as the senior pacer was on Saturday ruled out of the two-match series after the medical team did not clear him for the two-match series, the BCCI announced.
Shami, who has been recuperating from an ankle niggle post his wonder run in the recent ODI World Cup, was earlier included in India’s Test squad but his availability was subject to him getting clearance from the board’s medical team.
The BCCI did not name any replacement for Shami. The first Test between India and South Africa will start in Centurion on December 26.
Before the opening Test, the Indian Test team members will play a three-day intra-squad match from December 20.
As of now, Shami is likely to continue his recovery at home and he could make a return during the Test series at home against England starting from January 25 in Hyderabad.
The second Test against the Proteas will start at Cape Town on January 3, 2024.
Pace-bowling all-rounder Deepak Chahar was also withdrawn from the ODI squad after he expressed his unavailability to travel to South Africa because of a family emergency.
