Veteran India pacer Mohammad Shami has talked about his constant snub from the Indian team for reasons known only to the BCCI selectors. Shami last played for India in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025.
Since then, Shami has been performing well in domestic cricket, picking up 67 wickets across tournaments in the 2025-26 domestic season. There is a notion that the BCCI selectors have moved on from Mohammad Shami.
Shami was in contention for the Australia tour last year but opted out, feeling he hadn’t fully recovered from his foot injury. A similar thing happened when he opted out from the England Test tour, giving him more time to recover.
In between, Shami has accused the BCCI selectors of not communicating with him properly, as he continues to sit out, even as a plethora of new and upcoming pacers are being used in the Indian team.
Shami will turn out for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2026, and he addressed whether retirement thoughts have crossed his mind.
“When I get tired, I will call it a day. But I am not even thinking of retirement right now because such thoughts pull you down. If this thought crosses your mind, it means you’re already tired. And if you’re tired, it means you’re bored. And I have said this earlier, too. I’ll leave cricket the day I wake up and decide to get bored. So yeah, the day I feel lazy or get bored, I’ll leave. But neither am I bored nor am I lazy. I am enjoying. Results are good and positive,” Shami said on The Shubhankar Mishra Show.
Shami was part of the SRH team in IPL 2025, where he was bought for INR 10 crores. But he managed only six wickets in nine matches. He hopes for a fresh start with a new franchise, LSG.
“As a bowler, I will give my 100 per cent. I’ll perform my responsibilities and try to meet the expectations set for me. Rest, I can’t change my luck. All I can contribute is with my attitude and determination. If Lucknow has trusted me, I will give my all. Still, whenever you’re playing, the main element is satisfaction. Will I get the returns based on all the preparations that I have gone through? I did not focus on how much DOMESTIC I’ve played, but on the fact that my rhythm is alright. If that’s the point, I start thinking about the future,” he mentioned.
