Here`s star pacer Mohammed Shami’s swinging story!

November 2023 Shami suffers a heel injury during the World Cup, in which he was the highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets in seven matches

February 2024
Undergoes an Achilles tendon surgery and starts rehabilitation

October 2024
Suffers from some knee swelling complication during the rehabilitation

November 2024
Side strain during Ranji stint for Bengal rules him out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series Down Under, effectively ensuring he missed all of India’s fixtures in 2024

February-March 2025
Returns after injury in ODI series against England, followed by the Champions Trophy, where he claims nine wickets in five games, including
a brilliant fifer against Bangladesh

June 2025
He is not included for the five-match India vs England Test series due to fitness concerns across the long format

October 2025
He claims there has been no communication from the selection committee to check on the progress of his fitness after being ignored for the two-Test India vs West Indies series and subsequent three-match India vs ODI series

October 2025
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarifies that he had multiple chats with Shami over the last six to eight months to discuss his fitness, citing that he didn’t seem match fit before the England series. Agarkar also says that the sports science team at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence have asked for Shami’s progress and medical reports regularly. The chief selector insists they will monitor Shami’s Ranji Trophy performance, going forward

November 2025
Shami is not included in the squad for the two-match India vs South Africa Test series, starting in Kolkata on November 14 despite claiming 15 wickets in the first three Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal, giving rise to questions about whether he will ever play for India again

November 2025
Reports claim selectors had asked Shami to play at least one of the India ‘A’ matches vs England Lions ahead of the India vs England Test series to be assured of his current fitness, but he turned them down, saying he wanted to build on his workload. This, in turn, put him out of favour for selection

24
No. of wickets Mohammed Shami picked up in seven matches at the 2023 ODI World Cup

14
No. of months Shami was ruled out after his heel injury during the 2023 

9
No. of wickets Shami claimed in five games at the Champions Trophy earlier this year

15
No. of wickets Shami has picked in three Ranji ties for Bengal in current season so far

8
No. of months since Mohammed Shami last played for India

Shami’s international performance across last 6 years

2020
14 innings
19 wickets

2021
14 innings
29 wickets

2022
19 innings
23 wickets

2023
27 innings
56 wickets

2024
No matches

2025
9 innings
14 wickets

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