Major update on Mohammed Shami's India comeback

Mohammed Shami earned his 100th first-class cap during the Duleep Trophy 2026 final against South Zone.

Mohammed Shami’s hopes of returning to the Indian team have received a significant boost after the veteran fast bowler continued to impress in domestic cricket. Despite having not played international cricket for over an extended period, Shami remains active across all formats in domestic cricket. Alongside sharpening his wicket-taking ability, the Bengal pacer has consistently proved that his fitness is no longer questionable. 

Shami’s last match for India came during the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2025. However, his recent domestic performances have been encouraging. During the Ranji Trophy season of 2025-26, the pacer claimed 37 wickets, including career-best figures of 8/90. He continued his promising run with 16 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and 15 wickets in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, underlining his effectiveness across all formats. 

During the Duleep Trophy 2026, Shami emerged as one of the key performers for East Zone. He took five wickets against Central Zone in the semi-final as East Zone reached the final after a 13-year-long gap. Shami also featured in his 100th first-class match in the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone. 

Is Mohammed Shami all set for an Indian comeback?

According to a report by CricBlogger, a section of India’s national selection committee is now firmly in favour of Mohammed Shami’s selection into the Indian team following his consistent performance in the domestic one-day and four-day matches. 

The reports claim that the selectors have decided to keep the experienced pacer in the plans for a national squad comeback. This development holds significance, as it comes at a point when India’s pace department faces severe concerns due to injuries and inconsistent form.  

“It has reached a stage where Shami can’t be ignored anymore,” a BCCI source told CricBlogger.

The report adds that the selectors could be under considerable pressure to add Shami if India continue to struggle in the pace bowling department. 

Shami had previously been overlooked on several occasions amid the Indian team’s preference for younger options. Players like Harshit Rana were further backed due to their ability to contribute with the bat, as head coach Gautam Gambhir cited players who could contribute in more than just one department. 

The report, however, added that as of now there is no clarity on whether Shami will be backed for a potential comeback in Test cricket alone or whether he will be considered for an ODI comeback as well. While the decision ultimately remains in the hands of the Indian selectors, the Cricblogger report indicates that the door for an India comeback is no longer closed for Shami. 

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