How Shami finds motivation despite India hiatus

• Mohammed Shami remains motivated despite recent India snubs
• He took key wickets to help East Zone win the Duleep Trophy
• The pacer aims for the next level after his 100th first-class game

Star India pacer Mohammed Shami is high on motivation despite having not gotten a chance to play for India since March 2025. The 36-year-old, who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket, has asserted that

his motivation level has not dipped and he is still eyeing to reach ‘next level’ in his career. Notably, Shami’s last appearance in the Tests came even further back during the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval in 2023. However, his last India appearnace came during India’s victorious campaign in ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Despite India snub, Shami has been performing well at domestic level, proving his mettle. However, he has been overlooked by selectors time and again. Playing for East Zone in Duleep Trophy final, Shami picked two crucial wickets of Ravichandran Smaran and Sheikh Rasheed to rock South’s middle-order in the title clash in Chennai. South Zone eventually slumped to the mammoth 708-run total set by the Ishan Kishan-led side in the first innings, and eventually East Zone was declared the winner. 

A special tribute to @MdShami11 ✨
Praise for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 👏
A historic win after 13 years 🏆
Two motivating speeches 🗣️

🎥 Step inside the East Zone huddle to catch all the precious moments 🙌

#DuleepTrophy | #EZvSZ https://t.co/F0JSTEUrBq

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 10, 2026

Interestingly, this marked Shami’s 100th first-class game, and speaking about it, the veteran said, “As far as satisfaction goes, achieving this in my 100th match-and that too in a winning Duleep Trophy final-is special. East Zone has won this after a very long time. You’ve seen how we performed.” “Every single boy put his heart and soul into this campaign to get us here. To achieve this in these conditions, in this heat, is outstanding. As for me, whether it’s your first match or your 100th, it doesn’t matter-the effort and the approach remain exactly the same,” he added. 

Mohammed Shami Looks Motivated Despite India Snub

The 36-year-old is motivated and is working tirelessly to reach next level in his career. “There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them. At this level, if you aren’t self-motivated, your approach is wrong. No matter what stage you’re playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level,” Shami said. 

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Speaking about having to played domestic cricket after top-flight cricket, he said, “When you wear that crest on your chest, the level of cricket doesn’t matter. If you play for the badge, that hunger will naturally show. Your willingness to fight only grows when you play with that pride.

“My mindset is simple: whichever level I get an opportunity to play, I want to make it count and fulfil my responsibility toward the team,” he went on to say. On playing with younger guys, including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he said, “I thoroughly enjoyed it. The kid in our team (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) is literally as old as my career. He has that youthful innocence, loves to joke around, and absorbs things quickly.”