Former India coach Ravi Shastri was slightly disappointed with Mohammed Shami's retirement from Test matches and said that he had a few wickets left in him.
Shami last played for India during the WTC final against Australia at the Oval in 2023. He had a remarkable ODI World Cup, but picked up an injury that kept him out of action for more than a year. Shami returned to domestic cricket after a year and kept on delivering consistent performances; however, they were not enough to convince the selectors that he's fit to play the five-day format for Team India. After being left out of the New Zealand tour, Shami called time on his Test career. Ravi Shastri felt that India should have given Shami a shot in the squad. "It's sad when someone who's played so well for the country has to go. I definitely thought he had another 30 or 40 wickets in him. He should have played in the last 12 months and perhaps should have been in the side as a Test-match bowler," Shastri said. Shami himself downplayed his fitness concerns many times; however, the Indian selectors had moved on from him. The management defended the decision, citing fitness concerns. Shastri, however, questioned the move, saying that Shami was already performing well in competitive cricket, and said he is disappointed that he didn't get another go in Team India. "What's the point of being fit in the gym if you can't bowl 10 or 12 overs in a match? Here, you've got a workhorse who's bowling for you. So, I'm a little disappointed that he didn't get another go," he said. "I've heard all these press reports about his fitness not being good, but he was playing every game for Bengal. He was bowling 15-20 overs. What more do you want a player to do to prove his fitness?" he said.
