It’s not often that a bowler who once formed the spine of India’s Test success has to turn to domestic cricket just to stay relevant. But that’s exactly where Mohammed Shami finds himself now, back at Eden Gardens, looking to bowl his way back into the national selectors’ thoughts.
The 35-year-old, once part of India’s fast-bowling renaissance, is set to feature for Bengal in their Ranji Trophy opener against Uttarakhand starting October 15. After months of silence around his selection, Shami’s return shows he still has enough fuel in his tank and would love to pave his way back into the national team.
No Mohammed Shami in Team India
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar summed it up bluntly before the West Indies series, that there’s “no update” on Shami. That silence gave us an indication that Shami wasn’t contacted after his snubs from the recent series. Since the World Test Championship final in 2023, where he last played a Test for India, Shami has slipped further away from the selectors’ radar.
His recent appearance for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy didn’t inspire confidence either, with him taking a single wicket across 34 overs. Add to that a string of fitness issues, including ankle surgery that sidelined him for 14 months, and the picture turns grimmer. When he made his much-awaited comeback, Shami took his time to get in the groove. But soon, he had a terrible IPL 2025 for the SunRisers Hyderabad, managing just 6 wickets in 9 games at a horrible economy rate of 11.00.
Shami was left out of the Australia ODIs despite being part of the Champions Trophy squad earlier this year, which gave a clear sign that India may be looking ahead. Even within the BCCI, there’s quiet acceptance that at 35, and after multiple layoffs, Shami might not have much long-format cricket left in him. Yet, as those close to him say, the hunger hasn’t faded.
Shami eyes Ranji Trophy
That’s where the Ranji Trophy comes in. Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed that Shami has expressed his intent to play the opening game against Uttarakhand. For someone with 229 Test wickets, that’s no small statement. He is still available to play all the three formats for India. Recently, Shami questioned the selectors after he said that if he’s fit enough to play domestic cricket, there were no injury concerns that ruled him out of Asia Cup contention.
“I had spoken to Shami six or seven days back, and he had expressed his desire to play. So, on our front, we’re optimistic about his availability for the Ranji opener,” the Bengal coach told the Telegraph.
A BCCI official, speaking to also offered a candid assessment of where Shami stands in the current setup. “At this moment, it’s getting increasingly tougher for Shami to return to the Indian team. In the Duleep game too, he wasn’t too impressive, barring one odd spell. Besides, he isn’t getting any younger, while pace-wise too, he didn’t seem to be at his best in Duleep. But to continue in the IPL, he has to play a decent amount of domestic games,” the official said.
Bengal Ranji Trophy Schedule (2025-26)
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Bengal vs Uttarakhand | Oct 15-18 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Bengal vs Gujarat | Oct 25-28 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Tripura vs Bengal | Nov 1-4 | Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium, Agartala |
| Railways vs Bengal | Nov 8-11 | Lalbhai Contractor Stadium, Vesu, Surat |
| Bengal vs Assam | Nov 16-19 | Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, Kalyani |
| Bengal vs Services | Jan 22-25 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Haryana vs Bengal | Jan 29-Feb 1 | Ch Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium, Rohtak |
