Veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami skipped Bengal’s Ranji Trophy 2026-27 match against Services at Palam A Ground in New Delhi on October 18. The 36-year-old had delivered a strong performance in Bengal’s season
opener against Delhi in Kalyani picking up 4/30 in the first innings. He finished with five wickets in the match while bowling 35.3 overs overall. Officially the reason given for his exclusion is rest as a precaution after that workload. Some reports suggested the decision may have been Shami’s own decision as it comes just two days after he was omitted from all India squads for the New Zealand tour.
Md Shami is not playing the Ranji Trophy game against Services.
#RanjiTrophy2026— Debasis Sen (@debasissen) October 18, 2026
There were also observations of him walking gingerly after a physio session, raising minor niggle concerns, though he has not been ruled out with injury. His younger brother Mohammed Kaif and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal replaced him in the bowling attack, with Shahbaz Ahmed returning. Fellow Bengal pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep were also absent, having been picked for India A.
Mohammad Shami not picked in India’s squads for New Zealand
The BCCI selection committee led by interim chief Pragyan Ojha, announced India’s ODI and Test squads for the New Zealand tour recently and Mohammed Shami’s name was missing from both squads. The five-match ODI series begins November 4, followed by two Tests starting November 19. Shami, who last represented India in the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in March 2025 has been consistently overlooked despite strong domestic returns.
Shami’s has done well in the domestic circuit following a successful previous Ranji season with 37 wickets has kept him in the conversation, but the national team door remains closed for now. Fans and commentators have expressed mixed views regarding his selection. In the Test squad under captain Shubman Gill, the pace options include Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Reports indicate selectors lack full confidence in his fitness for longer spells at the international level, and prefer a younger bowling group to build toward future cycles including the 2027 World Cup. Shami had taken 4/30 against Delhi shortly before the announcement and performed well in the Duleep Trophy, yet this was not enough to make a comeback. Shami himself has previously said he focuses only on bowling wherever given the chance and does not let criticism affect him.
