What does Mohammed Shami need to do to merit an India recall?
It appears that the Indian team management is looking beyond the veteran pacers given the latest snub as despite impressive performances in the opening
few rounds of the ongoing Ranji Trophy, he wasn’t picked for the upcoming two-match Test series with South Africa at home.
Shami, whose last Test appearance was the final of the 2023 World Test Championship against Australia, has taken 15 wickets in the opening three matches for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 even though in the last game he went wicketless.
Shami’s last match for India was the 2025 Champions Trophy in March this year following which he seems to have lost favour with the selection committee. Earlier, Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, indicated that the 35-year-old hasn’t played enough cricket to be considered for Test cricket.
After taking a dig at selectors, Shami had recently said he can only performance and selection isn’t in his hands.
However, his childhood coach Mohammed Badruddin feels that the Agarkar-led panel is ignoring the star and he was quite sure of the fast bowler being picked for the South Africa Tests.
“My thought is simple – they are ignoring him, that’s clear. There’s no other reason that makes sense to me. He’s not unfit – when a player is playing Test matches, taking 15 wickets in two games, then he doesn’t look unfit from anywhere. I don’t think he’s unfit,” India Today quoted Badruddin as saying.
“The selectors are just overlooking him, that’s it. Why they are doing that, only they can say. But I really thought he would be picked for this series, because it’s in India and only two fast bowlers will play anyway. Still, he should have been in the squad. That would’ve helped reduce Bumrah’s workload – because Bumrah can’t play three-and-a-half Tests in a row. They should’ve kept Shami for rotation, that’s what I feel,” he added.
