'Cannot Be Underestimated': Coach McDonald Fires Grave Warning To AUS After India Reveals BGT Squad

Team India's Road to WTC will be extremely challenging when they face Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy series. The challenge will be no child's play, as the Men in Blue have been struggling with their form. The historic series loss to New Zealand in Pune can speak for itself. As the team gears up for the Australia Challenge while down under, the hosts can have a sigh of relief as one of India's top stars, Mohammed Shami, isn't a part of the squad. But the Cricket Australia coach is not taking any type of challenge lightly.

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Australia Coach Andrew McDonald Offers A Verdict on India's Squad for Border Gavaskar Trophy Series 

Australian head coach Andrew McDonald believes Mohammed Shami's absence from the marquee Border Gavaskar Trophy next month will be a significant loss for the visiting side India. But he also highlighted that the hosts will not understate the pacers who would fill in for the veteran pace-bowling titan.

"Mohammed Shami is a big loss. The way our batters speak about his relentless nature, his line and lengths, the way he goes about his business, a real good complimenting skill set to Bumrah so think that one-two combo they'll lack a little bit, and they'll miss that.

"But needless to say, we saw what happened last time. They had reserves that came in and did the job as well, so they cannot be underestimated at all," McDonald was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo on ABC's Offsiders.

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Mohammed Shami, who played a key role in India's successful 2018 tour of Australia, hasn't played since the ODI World Cup final in November 2023 due to an ankle injury. He underwent surgery and was later rehabilitated at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), but swelling in his knees hampered his recovery.

Rohit Sharma has stated that he does not want to take an 'undercooked' Shami to Australia, so he remains out of the squad, with fresh faces getting a chance to face the test cricket giants and reigning WTC Champions.

[With PTI Inputs]