New Delhi: The omission of senior pacer Mohammed Shami from India’s Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa has raised eyebrows, especially after his impressive showing in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, where he claimed 15 wickets in three matches for Bengal.
Shami, a mainstay in India’s pace attack over the past decade, has not played for India after the 2025 Champions Trophy win, and his continued absence from the national set-up has led to questions about whether the team is indeed moving on from him.
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who retired from professional cricket earlier this year, has urged the selectors and team management to initiate an honest conversation with Shami in terms of his international career.
“Well, I am not the one to answer whether it’s the end of the road. But see, someone like Mohammed Shami should be having - I mean, the selectors and the team management should have a very honest conversation with him. What’s the plan going forward? Whether they want to pick him or whether they are looking at the young players.
“If he is being informed that they are not looking at him, then it is always Shami’s personal call whether he wants to carry on playing first-class cricket, whether he still wants to - I mean, he is part of the IPL as well. So, he would want to carry on playing cricket.
“But it’s always a personal call whether he wants to retire from international cricket or he just wants to try his luck, continue playing domestic cricket,” Pujara told reporters during a media day ahead of the first India-South Africa Test starting in Kolkata on Friday.
In the two games Bengal played at the Eden Gardens, Shami was amongst the wicket-takers, including picking a five-wicket haul against Gujarat.
“If there is an opportunity given to him, if there are any injuries, then he should be available for that selection. But whether the team management and the selectors, whether they are looking at him or not, that is the communication which should be happening with Mohammed Shami. He should have a clear road ahead.
“He should have that clarity of what the selectors and the team management are looking at and what is expected out of him. If he is not going to get picked, then as a player, he will also take a call on what he wants to do, whether he wants to carry on playing IPL for a longer time, whether he wants to work on that, whether he wants to still enjoy playing cricket by playing Ranji Trophy, playing with his friends and domestic players - that is his personal call.” IANS
Also Read: Asian archery championships: Jyothi bags individual and team gold