Mohammed Shami unlikely to play for India again:Refusal to play in England may have hurt his chances, claims report

Despite logging 93 overs in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, senior India pacer Mohammed Shami is unlikely to feature in the national setup again, even in ODIs, where his experience once made him indispensable. The 35-year-old last played for India during the Champions Trophy in March and has not been picked in any format since. Having undergone heel surgery after the 2023 World Cup, Shami’s comeback has been slow and closely watched by selectors and the BCCI’s sports science unit. A senior board official told PTI that the narrative of “no communication” between Shami and the selectors is not entirely accurate. There have been multiple times that national selectors and support staff from the BCCI Centre of Excellence have called to check on Shami. The selection committee was desperate to have his services in England since Jasprit Bumrah couldn’t play all five Tests. Who wouldn’t want a bowler of his calibre in English conditions? Shami reportedly refused to play in England It is understood that one senior selector even messaged Shami several times, urging him to play an India A fixture against England Lions to assess his fitness for the five-match Test series. The pacer reportedly declined, saying he still needed to build his workload. With Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep rising rapidly in the pecking order, Shami has slipped off the radar in both Tests and T20Is. The only remaining route, ODIs, also appears uncertain, given that the next 50-over World Cup is in 2027, when Shami will be 37. BCCI insiders say selectors, quoted by the PTI report, remain unsure if Shami’s body can handle the rigours of international cricket. His pace has dropped to the 130 kmph range, and he has not bowled long spells even for Bengal, typically limiting himself to four-over bursts with extended breaks. There are concerns that his knee and heel issues could resurface in demanding conditions. Shami skipped Bengal’s ongoing Ranji game against Railways in Surat after playing the first three matches. He is expected to return for the home fixture against Assam at Kalyani from November 16 and then feature in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he hopes to stay in the mix ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.