Mohammad Shami and Wriddhiman Saha set to miss the last Test at Chennai

The Indian team is in a commanding position in the Mumbai Test with England pinned down but there certainly is some news that will concern them. Today, the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ruled out pacer Mohammad Shami and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha out of fifth Test against England in Chennai starting on December 16.

While Saha missed the third Test as well with a hamstring tendon injury Shami had trouble with his right knee during the Mohali Test which aggravated and he wasn’t able to take part in the Mumbai Test. Both the Bengal cricketers have been a key part of the Indian Test team in the last year or so. Shami will now head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for the rehabilitation.

Saha is also at the NCA following the recovery program. He has had a good 2016 with the bat as well as behind the wickets and would have certainly liked to end the year on a high with the Indian team winning the Test series. Saha featured in 9 Tests to score 366 runs, he also added one century and two fifties and maintained a healthy average of 40.66. Behind the wickets he effected 19 dismissals during the year.

Shami on the other hand, played 10 Tests and dismissed 29 batsmen with the best 4/66 against West Indies in the year and had a good series against England as well with scalped 10 wickets in the three Tests. He had troubles with his knee and couldn’t make it to the XI for the Mumbai Test, Shardul Thakur was added to the team as his replacement while Bhuvneshwar Kumar featured in the team ahead of him.

Team India had to get in Parthiv Patel for Saha in the Mohali Test. Parthiv made a comeback to the team after 8 years and did a decent job behind the wicket while batting exceptionally at the top of the order.