Overview:
The experienced quick continues to put in the hard yards, trusting that his consistency will not go unnoticed by the selectors.
Mohammed Shami delivered a timely reminder of his quality, bagging four wickets against Haryana in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His spell of 4/30 in four overs was the highlight of the innings, though Haryana still compiled an impressive 191/9.
Shami extended his purple patch, registering a third consecutive spell of three-plus wickets, following his 4/13 against Services and 3/24 against Puducherry. The sustained run has propelled him to third place among the tournament’s leading wicket-takers. Unfortunately for Bengal, his efforts weren’t enough to prevent a second successive loss.
With 16 scalps from seven games, averaging 14.93 and operating at an economy of 8.90, Shami’s domestic numbers remain impressive, highlighted by a best of 4/13. Yet he remains on the fringes of selection, with his last India outing coming in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Shami’s last Test outing was the WTC final in 2023, a match India lost to Australia by 209 runs. Since then, his situation has been somewhat unclear. Ajit Agarkar mentioned that Shami missed the England tour owing to fitness worries and confirmed that they had multiple conversations on the matter.
Since making his way back through the Duleep Trophy in September, Shami has remained a steady performer for Bengal. He returned 20 wickets from four Ranji Trophy fixtures, proving both form and fitness. The experienced quick continues to put in the hard yards, trusting that his consistency will not go unnoticed by the selectors.