Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has slammed Indian selectors for ignoring Mohammed Shami. Shami, who is one of the greatest Indian fast bowlers of all time, last played a Test match for India in June 2023 against Australia during the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval. His last ODI appearance was in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and his last T20I was against England in Mumbai on February 2.
He was ignored by the BCCI selectors for a place in the Indian team for the away series in England and then for the home series against the West Indies and South Africa. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee’s decision to keep Shami out of Team India was slammed by the pacer last month, and now Ganguly has joined the bandwagon.
While speaking to reporters in Kolkata on Monday (November 10), ahead of the first India-South Africa Test at Eden Gardens from November 14, Ganguly said that he doesn’t see any reason why Shami can’t keep playing for India.
He cited the example of Shami’s performances in recent Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal and said that the 35-year-old pacer is fit and is bowling exceptionally well.
“Shami is bowling exceptionally well. He is fit, and we saw in the three Ranji Trophy matches, where he’s won Bengal on his own,” Ganguly said.
“I’m sure the selectors are watching, and there is communication between Mohammad Shami and the selectors. But if you ask me, in terms of fitness and skill, it’s the Mohammad Shami we know of. So, I really don’t see any reason why he can’t keep playing Test matches, one-day cricket and T20 cricket for India. Because that skill is enormous,” he added.
Shami has played three matches in the ongoing 2025-26 Ranji Trophy for Bengal and has picked up 15 wickets so far. In Bengal’s first match against Uttarakhand at Eden Gardens, Shami dismissed three batters in the first innings and four in the second. In the second match against Gujarat, which was also played at the same venue, he finished with figures of 3/44 in the first innings and 5/38 in the second to set up a 141-run win for his side.