"The staff should talk to Shami and find out what he wants to do" - Paras Mhambrey on how Team India should plan for the returning pacer 

Former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey feels that it will be crucial for the new coaching staff to outline plans for the future with Mohammed Shami. The right-arm pacer last played in the 2023 ODI World Cup, and has been nursing an ankle injury ever since. He underwent surgery for the same, causing him to miss the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season and the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Shami still remains a vital cog in Team India's long-format plans, which is also the focus point in the coming months with the 2025 Champions Trophy and a potential third-successive World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The pacer, upon return, will find an entirely new coaching staff in charge as Rahul Dravid and Co. stepped down after the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. Mhambrey asserted the importance of a smooth transition for Shami.

"The staff should talk to Shami and find out what he wants to do. He’s no longer young, so where does he fit in and how many more years does he look to play? How do we use him smartly? I’m sure whoever comes with Gauti will find out how to get the best of Shami," Mhambrey said in an interview with The Telegraph.

"If Tests are the focus now, then make sure he is in the best shape for the series in Australia. However, what Shami wants and what his body says is paramount. But yes, some cricket is needed before the Australia tour as he has had a long break," he added.

Mhambrey also shed light on how much weightage fitness tests like the infamous Yo-Yo Test should be given against the skill level of a player.

“Individual fitness varies and can’t be of the same level. So, the players have to be treated differently. You can’t compare a Shami with some youngster who has just come in. You have to understand what the value of Shami is. Do you need Shami to do the Yo-Yo or bowl those many balls in a Test and win India the game?” Mhambrey said.

Early reports do suggest that fitness criteria will not be paramount in Gautam Gambhir's regime as head coach. The newly appointed head coach has talked about the issues presented by the method in the past, and feels that rejecting a player on the basis of the Yo-Yo score is not fair.

"He’s one of the very few bowlers who look forward to playing Test cricket" - Paras Mhambrey on Jasprit Bumrah

Shami's re-integration into the Indian team is just as important as preserving Jasprit Bumrah. Arguably the greatest bowler on the planet at the moment, the Men in Blue are a completely different side with him in the mix. He earns a well-deserved break after a hectic IPL and T20 World Cup campaign, but his services will be required in the home season and the tour of Australia.

"You’ve got to be smart enough to handle him because he’s one of the very few bowlers who look forward to playing Test cricket. Going forward, there are a lot of Tests to be played alongside securing points for the World Test Championship, and the biggest challenge is in Australia, where you need Jassi at his prime," Mhambrey said during the aforementioned interview.

Mhambrey also shed light on Bumrah's dedication to the format, when he played four out of the five Tests against England earlier this year, which included three consecutive outings.

The initial plan was to rest him for the third Test at Rajkot, but with the series perilously placed at 1-1 after two Tests, Bumrah continued playing.

“We had to give him a break during that long series (against England), either in the third or fourth Test. We had a chat with him and we said the value of the third Test was very important. And the best part was, he agreed to play that game (in Rajkot) and took a break in the next (in Ranchi)," Mhambrey recalled.

Bumrah delivered one of the finest performances by a pacer in Indian conditions, picking up 19 wickets at an average of 16.89.