Mohammed Shami (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra) NEW DELHI: Mohammed Shami has the air of a man who has suffered far too much misfortune in his life. At 35, he is definitely not getting any younger. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, has made it clear in so many words that he is eyeing Shami.But the Bengal pacer is not done. There has been a war of words between Shami and Agarkar in the recent past. Shami’s bowling is talking now. He has already taken 15 wickets in two Ranji Trophy matches in the 2025-26 season and declared himself “fit” and “ready” to return to India.“Keeping wickets with the new ball, taking wickets with the old ball. Long spells. He has taken 15 wickets in two matches. He has played all the domestic tournaments. What more does Ajit Agarkar and his team need to believe that he is 100 per cent fit?” Shami’s childhood coach Mohammed Badruddin tells TimesofIndia.com.
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“Questioning his fitness is just a completely stupid reason. Agar aapko khilana hi nahi hai toh seedha mana kar do (If you don’t want him to play, just say no). It’s disrespectful to a bowler of Shami’s caliber and what he has done for his country,” Badruddin said.This is not the first time that Shami has fought against all odds.In his youth, he was rejected by his home state Uttar Pradesh during the U-19 trial. While playing for India, he came back from the brink of retirement after knee surgery. He survived a fatal traffic accident and later his personal life went to hell. During an Instagram Live chat with Rohit Sharma during the lockdown, Shami admitted that he contemplated suicide on three occasions as he struggled with “severe stress and personal issues”. Temper also faced brutal online trolling after India’s defeat to Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai.
Kolkata: Bengal’s Mohammed Shami and Shahbaz Ahmed (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)
But they always bounce back.Apart from moving the ball both ways, Shami also has two ingrained ingredients in him – the ‘wall’ to prove everyone wrong and the ‘junoon’ to prove himself time and time again. These helped Shami rise above the pain and rejection.Shreevats Goswami, Shami’s former Bengal teammate who was commentating the Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat at the iconic Eden Gardens, calls him the “Rolls-Royce” of fast bowling.“Everything about Shami’s bowling – right from the run-up, the wrist position, the seam presentation, the ability to hit a hard length is pure poetry. When his ball hits the keeper’s gloves, you can hear the thud,” says Goswami.Goswami, who has seen Shami’s rise up close and has been his confidant for years, revealed what keeps the pacer going.“Apart from his favorite biryani, if there’s anything he likes the most, it’s the sound of the stumps rattling. He’s very passionate about bowling,” says Goswami with a laugh.After a brief pause, Goswami also spoke about Shami’s “stubbornness”.“I think it’s just the will, man. He enjoys taking wickets. And then there’s his stubbornness – that ‘I can do it’.” He has a very strong belief system,” says the former cricketer.“You never see bowlers on billboards. Bowlers are always under the radar. Shami is the Virat Kohli of Indian bowling,” he adds.
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Shami, who last represented India in the Champions Trophy triumph and finished as the country’s top wicket-taker alongside Varun Chakravarthy, has battled recurring ankle and knee injuries that required surgery after the 2023 World Cup.The 35-year-old has been out of the Indian Test squad for some time, having last played in the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.“I’ve had a long chat with him. He says he’s ready and it’s up to the selectors.”“He is ready to play all three formats. He told me, ‘I played all the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games last year. I also played all the Vijay Hazare Trophy games. I also played the Champions Trophy. So now it’s down to the selections. If they pick me, I’m ready to play. If not, I’ll keep playing.’
Kolkata: Bengal’s Mohammed Shami celebrates (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)
Shami bowled 18 overs in the first innings and another 10 in the second, following up his nearly 40 overs in the opening game against Uttarakhand. If there were ever any doubts about his prowess, those numbers alone squashed them. Shami’s engine is still running strong and the intensity is undiminished.“Gend abhi bhi uske haath se lehra rahi hai” (The ball keeps leaving his hands beautifully). “He still has three years of cricket left in him. It’s not easy for an aging fast bowler to find his rhythm after a long injury lay-off. But he has found it back now,” says Badruddin.Badruddin feels that in the ODI series in Australia where fast bowlers like Josh Hazlewood made life difficult for the Indian batsmen, Shami could have been more than useful. But he believes India’s loss is Bengal’s blessing.“Bengal is two wins out of two. If he plays the whole season, he might end up helping Bengal win the Ranji Trophy,” says the proud coach.After his heroics against Gujarat, the Bengal pacer stressed that he is fully fit after recovering from ankle surgery and is available for all formats of the game.“A lot of hard work has gone into it and I believe luck also plays a role. Every person wants to play for the country. So I am ready for it (again),” Shami told reporters.Through every injury, setback and storm, Shami persevered. The ball still moves like magic from his hand – proof that class and courage never wane.And with his two friends, ‘zid’ and ‘junoon’, by his side, Shami still has plenty left in his tank – and his story is far from over.
