Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, sidelined due to fitness issues, has made a roaring Ranji Trophy comeback with 15 wickets in two matches for Bengal. His fiery form and recent spat with chief selector Ajit Agarkar have reignited talks of a Test return.
Indian veteran pacer Mohammed Shami has a fire in his belly to prove his worth once again, delivering a commanding performance for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025/26 season. Shami is currently out of the international scene due to fitness concerns, as said by the BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar during the squad announcement for the ongoing white-ball tour of Australia.
Shami was dropped from the India squad after the Champions Trophy 2025 final due to fitness issues and was selected for the England Test tour, West Indies Test series, and the recently concluded Australia ODI series. Thereafter, Mohammed Shami and Ajit Agarkar were at loggerheads over his fitness update, stating, “It’s not my responsibility to give updates on my fitness.” This created debate over the lack of communication between the BCCI and players.
Responding to the criticism by Shami and his availability, Agarkar clarified that he had multiple conversations with the veteran pacer over the past few months, and he was not fully fit to play for Team India, emphasizing that selectors picked the players who are match-ready. The verbal spat between Shami and Agarkar has become a talking point in Indian cricketing circles, with debate over transparency and communication between fitness and communication between players and selectors.
Mohammed Shami Let Ball Do the Talking
Mohammed Shami unleashed his inner fire with a statement-making performance in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Across two matches, Shami has picked 15 wickets, including a four-wicket haul and a fifer, at an average of 10.47 and an economy rate of 2.30 in four innings, silencing critics and reminding selectors of his unmatched skill and hunger.
In Bengal’s opening match of the Ranji Trophy season against Uttarakhand, veteran pacer picked seven wickets (3/37 and 4/38) across both innings, paving for the side’s 8-wicket win at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. In the second round, Mohammed Shami picked nine wickets, including a 5-wicket haul in the second innings, as Bengal secured a 141-run win over Gujarat in Kolkata.
Before the beginning of the Ranji Trophy season, Ajit Agarkar stated, “This is the first round of Ranji games that is going on. We will find out in a couple of more games. If he is bowling well, why would you not want to have someone like Shami?”
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Mohammed Shami’s performance in the first two matches of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season appeared to have sent a strong message to the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee that he’s far from being at the highest level. Shami, who has been one of the backbones of India’s pace bowling attack in Test cricket for over a decade, has once again showcased why he remains one of India’s lethal red-ball pacers.
‘There’s Still a Lot of Cricket Left in Me’
Speaking after Bengal’s dominant victory over Gujarat, Mohammed Shami has expressed his satisfaction to have gotten back to his rhythm, while confidently asserting that ‘there’s still a lot of cricket left’ in him.
“Coming out of a difficult phase and performing well gives a lot of satisfaction. The time after the World Cup was tough and painful,” Shami said.
“But then I played the Ranji Trophy, white-ball cricket, the IPL, and the Duleep Trophy. Now my rhythm is back to where it was before. I can clearly feel there’s still a lot of cricket left in me,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami was not picked for the upcoming India A’s two unofficial Tests against South Africa A, starting on October 30. The unofficial Test series is part of preparation for the upcoming home Test series against the visiting South Africa, who are reigning WTC champions, beginning on November 14 at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata.
Will Mohammed Shami Make a Test Comeback?
Mohammed Shami’s performance in his first two outings for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season has seemingly put pressure on the national selectors ahead of the upcoming Test series against South Africa. However, Shami’s potential return to the India Test side for the South Africa Tests looks doubtful as he was not picked for the South Africa A series, which is seen as a pathway for players pushing for national selection.
The 35-year-old’s appearance in Test cricket was in the World Test Championship Final in 2023, and since then, he has not featured for India in red-ball cricket due to an Achilles injury sustained during the ODI World Cup. Due to injury, Shami missed the home Test series against England, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, making his Ranji Trophy comeback all the more significant.
When Mohammed Shami was on the sidelines for nearly a year, Mohammed Siraj emerged as India’s second pacer, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack, and Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep being tried as the third pace-bowling option in Tests.
Shami’s potential comeback to the Test side will largely depend on his fitness, consistency, and ability to sustain long spells in domestic cricket. Though his Ranji Trophy performance reignited his hopes of returning to the India Test side, veteran pacer’s immediate future with the national team will hinge on how his body holds up through the long domestic season and whether the selectors are convinced that he can endure the demands of a 5-day Test once again.