Mohammed Shami 4-30 as Bengal bowl out Delhi in Kalyani; 'You people can see and write. It's your job, right?'

Mohammed Shami took four wickets as Bengal dismissed Delhi in Kalyani on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season on Sunday, and he told reporters, "You people can see and write. It's your job, right?"

The 36-year-old returned figures of 4 for 30 from 17.3 overs, including nine maidens, as Bengal bowled Delhi out for 240 on Sunday. Shami removed middle-order batters Yash Dhull and Ayush Doseja, then dismissed Hrithik Shokeen — Delhi's lone half-centurion — and wrapped up the innings by rattling Divij Mehra's stumps. He bowled more overs than any of Bengal's other frontline seamers. Akash Deep sent down 17 overs for two wickets, while Mukesh Kumar bowled 17 overs and claimed one; Shami's economy rate of 1.71 was the best among them.

When asked what he wanted to say to his critics, Shami told reporters, "You people can see and write. It's your job, right?" He followed that with a longer response on his fitness and availability: "You can see my fitness. Write it. You are watching me. What will happen if I say it? I am on the ground. I am playing. I am playing wherever I can. My job is to just keep bowling," he added. The comments came after his opening-day spell for Bengal in Kalyani.

On questions about his rhythm and conditioning, Shami said, "I don't feel any change. People express their opinions all the time. I have heard people saying I don't have the rhythm and fitness. I don't care about all this, and I enjoy my game," he said. Those remarks reiterated his position that external opinion would not affect how he approaches his cricket.

Asked how he continued to trouble batters with movement in both directions, Shami said, "You should have the smartness to know when to make the ball move in and out. It's inbuilt," he said. The comment referred to the technique he credited for producing late movement.

Questions about Shami's fitness and a potential India recall have followed repeated omissions from the national side. He last represented India in the Champions Trophy final in March 2025 and was subsequently overlooked for several international assignments despite continuing to play domestic cricket; the debate intensified in September and October 2025 when then chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited a lack of clarity over Shami's fitness and match readiness following his absence from India's squads. Shami pushed back, arguing that his availability for Bengal demonstrated that he was fit to play, and in May 2026 Agarkar said there had been no discussion about Shami's return to Test cricket, adding that, according to the information available to the selectors, "his body was allowing him to play T20 cricket at that stage." Agarkar's tenure as chief selector ended earlier this month, but the questions around Shami's international future remain.

Last season Shami claimed 37 wickets in seven Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal at an average of 16.72, including three five-wicket hauls. His latest performance for Bengal underlined his continued impact at domestic level, even as an India recall remains elusive.

For now Shami's message was straightforward: he is playing, bowling and enjoying his cricket. Whether that will be enough to bring him back into India's plans remains to be seen.