Mohammad Shami missed the England Test tour reportedly due to recovery issues.
Shami, who was the highest wicket-taker in the ICC World Cup 2023, spent the next 18 months out of action due to an ankle and knee issue. He made his India comeback in the England series at the start of 2025 and played a part in India’s 2025 ICC Champions Trophy victory.
However, he has not played a Test for India since the final of the 2023 ICC World Test Championship against Australia at the Oval.
He has fallen off the radar from both Tests and T20Is, and though Shami may have already bowled 93 overs in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, it is unlikely that one of India's best pacers would be seen in the whites again, and his prospects of wearing the ODI blues appear slim.
Meanwhile, BCCI officials have cleared the picture as to Shami’s allegations of miscommunication from selectors. A senior official stated that it was Shami who declined to be included in India’s squad for the England Test tour, where ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah was set to play only three tests due to his workload issues.
"There have been multiple times that national selectors and support staff from the BCCI Centre of Excellence have called to check on Shami. The selection committee was desperate to get his services in England, as Jasprit Bumrah could not have played more than three tests," a senior board official told PTI.
"Who wouldn't want a bowler of his caliber in English conditions?" he added, referring to the series that India ultimately drew 2-2 earlier this year.
It is understood that one of the selection panel's senior members wrote Shami many texts inquiring about his fitness and asked that he play at least one India A game against the England Lions in Canterbury or Northampton.
This was to determine where he sits in terms of Test-match fitness for England's five-match series. It is understood that the pacer answered by stating that he still needs to increase his workload and should not be considered for the task.
"So, the narrative that there was no communication with Shami isn't an absolute truth. The sports science team also has his medical reports and whether his body will be able to take the rigors of international cricket," the senior official further added.
At this juncture, Shami might feel that he is ready for 50-over cricket, but whether he fits the role is something that only the national selectors can decide. There are a lot of questions regarding Shami's fitness for top-flight cricket.
There are questions about how many spells and how long spells Shami can bowl in a day. There is also a question about the speeds he can sustain during lengthy spells. While playing for Bengal in recent Ranji Trophy games, Shami has not bowled long stints, which he may need to do for India under challenging conditions.
He has generally bowled four-over periods and taken many pauses during the day's play. His average speed is likewise less than 130 kilometers per hour.
There are also apprehensions about Shami’s durability, as, given his age and knee issue, there are chances of him breaking down in the middle of a Test match.
Shami missed Bengal’s ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Railways and is expected to play the home match against Assam from November 16 and then the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to audition for the IPL 2026 auction.
(PTI inputs)