End of road for Mohammed Shami in Test cricket? ‘No Longer the bowler he used to be,’ says former selector
New Delhi: India named an 18-player squad for the upcoming England Test series, starting June 20. The selection included newcomers Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, as well as the return of Shardul Thakur and Karun Nair. Notable omission from the squad is veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami, a decision that may indicate future team strategies.
After a lengthy injury absence, Shami returned to competitive cricket in November and gradually increased his playing time. He participated in India’s white-ball matches, culminating in their Champions Trophy victory in 2025. Despite this success, selectors remain unconvinced about his physical readiness for the demands of Test cricket, resulting in his exclusion from the current squad.
A former Indian selector suggests Mohammed Shami’s Test career may be finished. His absence from the upcoming Australia and England tours, crucial for fast bowlers, makes his selection for later home Tests unlikely.
“If Mohammed Shami isn’t available in Australia or England, why would the selectors pick him against West Indies and South Africa at home. They might as well use Akash Deep, Arshdeep, Harshit or Mukesh as Siraj or Bumrah’s partner,” the ex-selector was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“Shami’s body is ageing, and one has to accept that he is no longer the bowler he used to be,” the selector added.
Shami, who debuted in Test cricket in 2013, has a career record of 229 wickets from 64 matches.
A BCCI medical assessment of Mohammed Shami in Lucknow found him physically unprepared for the demands of bowling extensive overs daily.
Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, reported that Mohammed Shami is undergoing fitness training for the upcoming England tour, but his current workload is insufficient.
“He has been trying to get fit for the series but he has had a little bit of a setback for the last week or so and he has got some MRIs done. I’d like to mention, I don’t think he was going to be available for all five Tests. I don’t think his workload is where it needs to be,” Agarkar told reporters in Mumbai on Saturday.
“It’s what the medical guys told us that he’s been ruled out of the series,” Agarkar explained that the senior pacer’s unavailability was unfortunate, but the team had to proceed with its current fit players due to the player’s ongoing injury and the scheduling constraints of the series. They had hoped for at least partial participation from the injured bowler, but his fitness prevented it.
“So it’s unfortunate that a bowler like him will always want to try and pick by himself. At the moment, he’s not fit,”
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