South African captain AB de Villiers feels India may have ‘moved on’ from Mohammed Shami, after the speedster was left out of India’s white-ball squad for the tour to Australia, which gets underway on October
19.
Shami, who last played for India during their Champions Trophy 2025 win, ended as the joint-highest wicket-taker for the side alongside Varun Chakravarthy. However, the 35-year-old had been struggling with persistent ankle and knee issues, both of which required surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup. His injury troubles have limited his availability across formats, and he hasn’t represented India in a Test match since the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.
Although Shami briefly returned to domestic cricket earlier this year, national selectors appear cautious about rushing him back into international action. He was omitted from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier in 2025 due to recurring knee soreness, even though he later impressed during the Champions Trophy in March. Despite that performance, the selectors seem to be prioritising long-term fitness and future planning, leaving the veteran speedster’s international future uncertain.
Reacting to Shami’s continued absence from the national setup, former AB de Villiers shared his thoughts, suggesting that India might be preparing to move on from the veteran pacer.
“It is a big call from Team India. It feels like, in a certain way, they’ve moved on from him. I don’t know the behind-the-scenes story, if there maybe a couple of niggles he’s still carrying. Maybe he lost a yard of pace and he doesn’t quite have that zip that he used to. Those could all play a part. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for him,” De Villiers was quoted as saying on his YouTube channel.
Why Shami Is Not In India Team?
De Villiers also commented on Shami’s recent performances, observing a possible dip in his pace and suggesting it could be a reason for his exclusion from the national team.
“If he can still find that extra yard of pace, as that is one thing I picked up – He lost a little bit of pace recently and maybe that is the reason why he is not in the national team anymore,” he added.
Despite this, De Villiers expressed admiration for Shami’s skills and impact on world cricket, recognising him as a valuable bowler when in form and fit.
“He’s a wonderful bowler. Always asks questions of the batters. He’s a wicket-to-wicket bowler and a great asset to have in the team if he’s in form, fit and raring to go. Obviously, it is very disappointing not to see him there as he’s a very entertaining performer for Team India,” ABD said.
