He has scalped 229 wickets in 64 Test matches.
The selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might take a tough call on veteran pacer Mohammed Shami ahead of the Test tour of England. According to a Times of India report, they are not looking to pick the 34-year-old in India’s red-ball squad for the five-match series starting on June 20.
“As of now, Shami isn’t an automatic pick,” stated a BCCI source to the Times of India.
Following his injury during the 2023 home ODI World Cup, the pacer made a strong comeback and produced a scintillating performance in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 opener. He conceded only 53 runs in his 10-over quota and scalped five wickets against Bangladesh.
However, his form has dropped since then. Shami managed to take only four wickets in the next four matches of the tournament.
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Further, he has had a below-par outing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. After missing the previous season due to the same injury, the Gujarat Titans released him ahead of the IPL 2025 player auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad spent a huge amount of INR 10 crore to add him to their squad. But the pacer has bagged only six wickets in nine matches of this league.
“It’s been months since he has come back to international cricket but he has barely been in rhythm. While IPL performances are not usually considered while picking India teams, Shami is struggling to finish his run-up and the ball is not carrying to the wicketkeeper like it used to before his Achilles tendon injury after the 2023 ODI World Cup. He invariably goes back to the dressing room after a short spell for recovery,” said that source.
Despite his recent decline in form, it is undeniable that the pacer has played a huge role in India’s red-ball dominance over the years. He has scalped 229 wickets, including six five-wicket hauls, in 64 Test matches.
Shami’s absence from the Test squad for the upcoming tour might trouble India. Furthermore, India’s prime pacer Jasprit Bumrah would not play every match in that series to manage his workload. This lack of experience in the pace attack could provide a rough start to India’s 2025-27 cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC).
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