Neither Jasprit Bumrah nor Mohammed Siraj played in the Champions Trophy. In their absence, the selector wanted experience. So, they turned towards Mohammed Shami. The pacer had made his India comeback a few weeks ago after being out for 14 months. But in Bumrah and Siraj’s absence, it was felt that Shami and his ODI expertise were needed.
The veteran pacer wasn’t at his best, yet he managed to take 9 wickets in 5 matches. Only New Zealand’s Matt Henry managed to claim more scalps than Shami. In spin-friendly conditions in Dubai, the pacer more than held his own. Therefore, the question arises: if Bumrah and Siraj don’t feature in the Asia Cup 2025, will the selectors turn towards Shami again?
Fitness concerns
It’s expected that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will announce the squad for the Asia Cup by the end of next week. As of now, we have no idea whether Shami is fit or not. Saurasish Lahiri, the Bengal assistant coach, has stated that the pacer is currently at the Centre of Excellence.
“I think Shami is at the NCA and will directly join the East Zone squad in Bangalore for the Duleep Trophy,” Saurasish told RevSportz.
The Duleep Trophy will commence on August 28. So, from what we know, Shami should be fit for the zonal tournament. But that can’t be a certainty. But let’s assume that the veteran pacer is 100% for the Duleep Trophy and the Asia Cup. Will his selection be justified?
Good enough for T20Is?
Assuming neither Siraj nor Bumrah will play, India will need another new-ball bowler with Arshdeep Singh. Khaleel Ahmed, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, and Anshul Kamboj were among the best powerplay bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Shami was ranked 13th among the highest wicket-takers in the powerplay. In the 9 matches he played for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the pacer went at over 10 runs per over and took 5 wickets in 22 overs. But that’s just the starting point. Shami showed no versatility.
He bowled just 7 overs in the middle phase and took 1 wicket. And under no circumstances could he be trusted to bowl in the death over. Because when Pat Cummins showed faith, he went for 27 runs in the only over he bowled. Seen a wicket-taker, Shami hasn’t been able to take wickets or be economical.
At this point, he might not even be among the top 20 Indian fast bowlers in T20 cricket. Shami might get back to his best, but at this moment, trusting the 34-year-old, even in the absence of Bumrah and Siraj, isn’t viable.1
Mohammed Shami bowling stats by phase in IPL 2025
| Overs Bowled | Runs Conceded | Wickets | Average | Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 22 | 226 | 5 | 45.20 | 10.27 |
| Middle (7-15) | 7 | 84 | 1 | 84 | 12 |
| Death (16-20) | 1 | 27 | – | – | 27 |
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