Indian pacer Mohammed Shami | Photo Credit: AP

The Board of Control for Cricket in Indian (BCCI) has imposed a strange rule on Mohammed Shami's bowling as he is slated to take part in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'B' match against Kerala at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday. The board has allowed him to bowl only 15 overs each innings keeping the impending Australia Test series in mind.

Shami forms an integral part of India's pace bowling attack that picked crucial wickets in South Africa and in England. With Shami being part of the four-match Test series against Australia starting December 6, BCCI asked the Bengal team to allow to bow for only 15 overs per innings with 'grace' for just two or three overs more. The board has also asked the team management to send the board physio reports on the pacer's fitness and workload.

Bengal seemed fine with the imposition as they included Shami in their 16-member team on Friday. Not only so, Shami too seems pumped up to play for Bengal as he had appeared in the match against Madhya Pradesh as well. India obviously comes first and we have to respect what the BCCI has said," captain Manoj Tiwary said on Bengal's selection and BCCI's rule on Shami's bowling. "I don't think he (Shami) will need so many overs. We are confident about his ability and with the type of result-oriented pitch we are planning to play on in this match, I believe he will do the job along with the other bowlers," he added.

Shami picked up a total of 33 wickets in nine Test matches he played in 2018. He bagged 15 wickets against South Africa and 14 came against England, while the remaining were against West Indies on home turf which makes him the highest wicket-taker for India in Tests this year.