The Ajit Agarkar-headed selection committee is set to announce the squad for the England tour on Saturday (May 24). Apart from the squad, the selectors will also announce a new Test captain. Shubman Gill is the front-runner to replace Rohit Sharma, who announced his Test retirement earlier this month. He now only plays ODIs.

After a forgettable Australia tour, where India lost 1-3, India would aim to pull off their first Test series win in England since 2007. Jasprit Bumrah will continue to lead India's pace attack but he, once again, is unlikely to be without his senior bowling partner, Mohammed Shami.

The Indian Express has reported that Shami is likely to be ignored for the England Test series. The BCCI's medical team has reportedly informed the board that he won't be able to bowl longer spells.

India will need their pacers to bowl long spells in England and Shami could get ignored due to this reason. He last played a Test match against Australia in June 2023 - in the World Test Championship final.

He played a key role in India's success in the 2023 World Cup but stayed out of action for long after that due to an ankle injury. Shami made his first-class return before the Australia tour in 2024 but he wasn't selected in the Test squad.

The report adds that Shami's possible omission could open the doors for Arshdeep Singh and Anshul Kamboj. Anshul, a right-arm pacer from Haryana, is part of the India A squad for the unofficial Test series against England Lions.

Arshdeep hasn't played Test cricket yet and is waiting for his maiden Test call-up. He is India's lead pacer in T20I cricket and has also played 9 ODIs. The left-arm pacer is part of Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL 2025.