Despite being left out of the national side, pacer Mohammed Shami is proving his worth in domestic cricket — especially during the current Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Playing for Bengal, he has taken 12 wickets across six matches, including a notable four-wicket haul. Yet, even with such strong performances, he remains ignored by the selectors.
This contrast between Shami’s domestic form and his absence from the national squad has fueled questions about the selection process. Many feel that his continued exclusion is hard to justify given his recent numbers.
Ganguly’s Strong Endorsement: Time for Communication
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has come out publicly in support of Shami. He emphasized that from a fitness and skill standpoint, Shami remains more than capable of representing India across formats. “I hope the selectors are watching Shami’s performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. I hope there is proper communication between the selectors and Shami,” Ganguly said.
He added, “If you ask me in terms of fitness and skills, I really don’t see any reason why he can’t keep playing Test matches, One-Day cricket, and T20Is for India because his skill is enormous.”
In blunt terms he also declared:
“Mohammad Shami is fit. I don’t see any reason why he can’t keep playing for India.”
Ganguly’s message is as much to the selectors — including Ajit Agarkar — as it is to cricket fans. By stressing the need for “proper communication,” he’s hinting at a broader issue: a disconnect between management and players.
Wider Criticism: Calls for Bringing Shami Back
The debate over Shami’s exclusion isn’t confined to one voice. Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh also criticized the team management, expressing bewilderment at “constantly ignoring good bowlers.” According to him, selecting only certain bowlers — and sidelining others like Shami — undermines India’s bowling depth.
Harbhajan pointed out that while there may be promising newer bowlers, experience and proven match-winning ability still count. He argued that ignoring seasoned bowlers in favour of untested ones could hurt India’s balance, especially in crucial white-ball games.
All this has turned Shami’s exclusion into a talking point, raising broader questions about selection criteria, transparency, and whether domestic performance should weigh more heavily when picking national squads.
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