New Delhi: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has backed Mohammed Shami’s comeback to the national team, reflecting on the pacer’s strong performances in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
Ganguly observed that Shami appears fully fit, having impressed in his first three matches of the season.
Mohammed Shami last represented India in the Champions Trophy and has since been excluded from squads across formats. Recent reports suggest that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel is focusing on nurturing younger fast bowlers, marking a transition in India’s pace attack. Nevertheless, the seasoned seamer is working hard in domestic cricket to earn a return to the national side.
So far, he has grabbed 15 wickets, helping Bengal secure back-to-back victories in their first two Ranji Trophy matches, before failing to pick up a wicket against Tripura. Across three matches this season, he has bowled 91 overs, showcasing his match fitness.
Ganguly lauded Shami for his strong performance
Ganguly showered praise on Shami for his strong performances in domestic cricket, commending the veteran pacer’s fitness and his ability to deliver match-winning contributions for Bengal.
“Shami is bowling exceptionally well. He is fit and we saw in the three Ranji Trophy matches, where he’s won Bengal on his own,” Ganguly said on Monday after being announced as the global brand ambassador of Kabuni, a UK-based AI-driven sports coaching platform.
Shami missed out on selection for India’s Test squad for the South Africa series, and win no red-ball fixtures scheduled for the next six months, a return in the longest format seems highly unlikely.
Ganguly also expressed confidence in Shami making a comeback
Ganguly also expressed confidence in Shami making a comeback to international cricket, stating that the veteran pacer still has the fitness, skill and determination that established him as one of iIndia’s most reliable bowlers. He added that, given Shami’s talent and currect form, there’s no reason he cannot vontinue featuring across all three formats.
“I’m sure the selectors are watching and there is a communication between Mohammad Shami and the selectors. But if you ask me, in terms of fitness and skill, it’s the Mohammad Shami we know of. So, I really don’t see any reason why he can’t keep playing Test matches, One-day cricket and T20 cricket for India. Because that skill is enormous,” he added.