The India and Gujarat Titans seamer has been having injections to treat the issue but surgery in the UK is now considered the next option, which will further extend his absence
Mohammed Shami is reportedly set to miss Gujarat Titans' Indian Premier League campaign with an ankle injury.
The veteran seamer, 33, who took 24 wickets in India's Cricket World Cup campaign, is likely to be out for most of the year with surgery required on his left ankle.
Currently from the India v England Tests series, Shami has been having injections in his ankle in the UK, in an attempt to be ready for the 10-team competition which gets underway on March 22.
The Press Trust of India understands, however, that the procedure hasn't been fully effective and going under the knife is the only remaining option to alleviate his discomfort.
"Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running again and take it from thereon," a source was quoted as telling PTI.
Gujarat Titans are set to be without Shami, who took 28 wickets in 17 matches during 2023 (SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)
"But the injection hasn't worked and now the only option left is surgery. IPL seems out of the question."
The source added: "Shami should have gone directly for surgery and that should have been NCA's call.
"Just two months of rest and injections wouldn't have worked well and that's what has happened. He is an asset and the Indian team would need him in Australia."
The prospect of surgery will leaves Shami as a doubt for the men's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States and India's Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand later in the year.
A monumental series away in Australia is scheduled from November 2024 to January 2025, before England are the visitors for eight white-ball matches which run into February.
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