The chatter regarding Mohammad Shami’s comeback to the Indian team has gained momentum after Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the national fold after nearly four years.
Last week, Bhuvneshwar was recalled to the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour on the back of impressive domestic and IPL performances.
Shami, 36, last represented India in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite proving his fitness and form in domestic cricket for Bengal, he has faced continued omission from the national setup.
While the ODI and Test squads for the New Zealand are yet to be finalized, rumours are rife that the new selection committee, led by Pragyan Ojha, may favor experience and pick Shami in the squad.
With less than a year left for the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa, out-of-favour Indian pacer Navdeep Saini has thrown his weight behind for a return to the national side.
Saini also highlighted how Bhuvneshwar’s unexpected recall to the T20I squad serves as a massive inspiration for cricketers toiling hard in domestic cricket.
"Bhuvi bhaiya is a huge source of motivation for players like us who are trying to make a comeback into the side. He is a highly capable bowler who has served Indian cricket tremendously and won matches single-handedly. He's a game-changing bowler. Even though he has been out of the team for the last four years, his performances have remained exceptional, whether in domestic cricket or the IPL," Saini told RevSportz.
Bhuvneshwar was rewarded for his brilliance in domestic cricket and the IPL over the past two seasons, serving as a vital architect in RCB’s historic back-to-back championship campaigns. While the right-arm seamer claimed 17 wickets in 2025, he was phenomenal this year, picking up 28 scalps and finishing with the best economy rate among the top five wicket-takers.
"If you look at the last two IPL seasons, he has been one of the best bowlers. There were talks that he might not get selected, but I always felt he deserved an opportunity. If he can make a comeback, it shows that anyone can work hard, perform consistently and earn another chance," Saini added.
Using the example of Bhuvneshwar, Saini strongly backed Mohammed Shami for a similar national comeback.
"Another player I'd like to talk about is Shami bhaiya. He has also served Indian cricket for a long time and is capable of winning matches on his own. I feel his name should have been there as well, although I don't know why he wasn't picked. He has been toiling hard in domestic cricket and deserves an opportunity too," Saini remarked.
