Since the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand last year, Mohammed Shami has not represented India. The Bengali seamer’s international career is reportedly virtually over.
After Shami finished as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee expressed reservations about his fitness. When he returned to domestic cricket, the right-arm seamer bowled brilliantly for Bengal. He did well in the white-ball formats and claimed 37 wickets in the Ranji Trophy last year.
But he has consistently been left out of India’s selections, whether they are for the longest format or white-ball cricket. According to a Sportstar source, the Indian selectors have already identified a pool of 15 talented fast bowlers across formats who will form the heart of India’s pace attack over the next few years, following his rejection for the Test tour to Sri Lanka next month.
According to reports, Shami is not included in those long-term plans.
The selectors have begun preparing for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) cycle and the 2027 ODI World Cup, according to the article. The Indian team is already undergoing change, and the selectors want to support young players rather than depend on seasoned athletes.
Ashok Sharma, Gurnoor Brar, Mayank Yadav, and Prince Yadav have all performed admirably in recent series. Young pacers that have performed well in the Indian Premier League this year include Rasikh Salam Dar and Kartik Tyagi, who are eager for their chances to succeed in international cricket.
Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah are dependable among the seasoned pacers. Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna have also been performing for a while. In addition to Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been advocating for a return, particularly following his outstanding performance for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2026 Indian Premier League. But the current selection committee may not want to continue investing in young people and bring him back.
