Mohammed Shami says outsiders cannot judge the length of his spells
Mohammed Shami spoke to reporters at the Airforce Complex Ground in Palam on a warm Tuesday afternoon after Bengal completed a 60-run victory over Services in the second round of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy, addressing questions about his fitness, selection and his absence from that match.
Journalists gathered outside the Bengal dressing room despite Shami not featuring in the game; his name had been left out of India’s squads for the ODI and Test series against New Zealand two days before the match. Shami has spent the past year seeking regular domestic appearances to counter doubts over his fitness, having played in seven of Bengal’s nine matches during their Ranji semifinal run last season. His most recent international stint was the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025, when he returned from a long layoff caused by a knee injury and ankle surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup. In that Champions Trophy — in which Jasprit Bumrah missed the tournament because of a lower back injury — Shami took nine wickets in five matches as India went unbeaten to win the title.
On why he did not play against Services, Shami said: "I trained on day three and four of the game too. You could see the condition of the pitch, right? There was no point in playing on this wicket and bowling two to four overs. It was better that the youngsters got a run. The more they play, the more experience they will get. My motive is that when the team requires me, I play. I don’t think there was really a need here. I can’t play as a batter."
Responding to being overlooked for the New Zealand tour, Shami dismissed disappointment and stressed the value of continuous game time: "It was not about disappointment. I played (almost) all the matches last season as well. My motive is to play as much as I can in the upcoming tournaments. Nobody knows when anybody will be needed. For me, it is good even for Indian Premier League (IPL) preparation if I keep playing domestic cricket. As long as I play a lot of matches, my rhythm will be good. If I am with the team, the atmosphere will be good. These are the things that I try to do."
Shami’s international record and role in India’s pace battery were outlined during the exchange: he has taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests and 206 in 108 ODIs, and previously formed part of an attack that included Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. On evaluating his own standing, he said: "I can’t praise myself. That is something that you all will have to be asked. But I try to ensure that whoever I am playing for, I tick the boxes required and fulfil my responsibility. I try to ensure that my effort is 100% and the team’s needs are fulfilled. I don’t think of anything more than this."
Asked about Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the T20I team and the broader domestic season, Shami said: "I don’t know what will happen or not happen. But there can’t be anything better for any player than the fact that the domestic season has started. This is the best platform for any player to get into rhythm. Whoever is available, whether senior or junior, should look to make the competition tough for the opponent (in domestic cricket)." He also said of Bhuvneshwar specifically: "The way he has performed, he should have been there in the Indian team much earlier."
On critiques that he has not bowled long spells for Bengal, Shami rejected outside judgement and described the tactical nature of spells: "How can anyone from the outside judge whether I am bowling long spells? It is dependent on the demands of the team. It is not like I will keep bowling over after over. On a wicket like this, for example, how can you plan to have a fast bowler bowl five or ten overs on the trot? If it is uncomfortable for a batter, the fast bowler will bowl. If we think a spinner will take the wickets, he will bowl more. This depends entirely on the game situation and pitch conditions. That is the captain’s call. By the way, I bowled for one-and-a-half hours today. There was no issue."
Shami addressed questions about age and future aims, selection contacts and his relationship with Bengal: "I am still at my peak. There is no point in not saying what I think is right. Regardless of how old I am, I feel I am at my peak." On planning for the next World Cup he said: "I do not think that far ahead. You never know what will happen in life. You don’t know who will score runs or take wickets. There is no point thinking that far ahead. Just keep playing the matches. Just keep improving. I always say that my focus should be on my skill and my fitness. I don’t want to take on any load by thinking about the future. I am getting to play domestic cricket right now. There is a lot of time (for the 2027 ODI World Cup). I am just playing." He added on selectors and contracts: "I am not with the Indian team. I am not contracted. Why will anybody talk to me right now?" and reflected on his bond with Bengal: "This is the team that has given me a name. All these cameras and questions are because of this team. And whenever I end my career, it will be with this team. The stage or level does not matter. You should have loyalty and work hard. I am doing that. Only that is in my control. The rest isn’t in my control. That is how I think."
Shami concluded by underlining his personal approach to the future and selection: "Why would I give up hope? Hope should always be there. I say this for any profession. You should always have a goal. Even when we play in the Ranji Trophy, it is to win the title for the State. Goals should always be there. I don’t deny that."
