Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has made a brief yet significant remark on Mohammed Shami after his scintillating performance for Bengal in their Ranji Trophy opener against Uttarakhand.
Mohammed Shami turned the spotlight firmly on himself as he spearheaded Bengal's emphatic Ranji Trophy win over Uttarakhand, delivering a performance that put an end to the fitness questions surrounding him.
After being sidelined by selectors for the upcoming Australia series due to "fitness concerns," Shami answered with the ball, claiming seven wickets across both innings in Bengal's season opener at Eden Gardens.
Shami's impact was felt immediately in the first innings, where he broke through Uttarakhand's lower order with a burst of reverse swing. Toiling
patiently for most of the day and going wicketless in his initial spells, Shami was brought back by skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran late in the session. What followed was a flash of vintage brilliance: three wickets in four balls, including two bowled with trademark late movement and ruthless efficiency, finishing with 3 for 37 in 14.5 overs.
In the second innings, Shami was relentless. Using the morning moisture expertly, he produced another probing spell that ripped through Uttarakhand's resistance. He picked up four more wickets - including the key breakthrough of Kunal Chandela, to finish with 4 for 38 in 24.4 overs. His combined match figures of 7 for 75 not only secured an eight-wicket victory for Bengal but also won him the Player of the Match award.
Beyond the numbers, Shami's performance was a powerful rejoinder to those questioning his place in Indian cricket. "If fitness is an issue, I shouldn't be playing for Bengal. I have played Champions Trophy, IPL, Duleep Trophy-I'm in good touch," Shami pointedly remarked before the match, asserting his readiness for all formats.
Amid this, Shami has got a firm supporter in Sourav Ganguly, who made his thoughts clear. After Shami's outstanding performance, CAB president Ganguly urged the player to continue performing.
"Oke Khelte Dao, Khelte Thakuk (Let him play, he must continue doing so)", Ganguly said in a brief media question after Bengal's win on Saturday.
Sourav Ganguly praises Mohammed Shami, calling him one of the best fast bowlers India has ever produced.#SouravGanguly #MohammedShami #TeamIndia #IndianCricket #FastBowler#Mykhel pic.twitter.com/Cm16utzlsd
- myKhel.com (@mykhelcom) October 18, 2025
Although Ganguly didn't take any questions, he remarked Shami as one of the best for India at the Eden Gardens.
Despite Ajit Agarkar's claims of lack of fitness, Shami has shown no signs of that with his outing for Bengal. The India pacer is expected to play against Gujarat in the next Ranji match as well.
