Mohammed Shami with Rohit Sharma (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who last played in the Champions Trophy and became the country’s joint-highest wicket-taker with Varun Chakravarthy, has been left out of India’s upcoming white-ball tour to Australia from October 19, 2025. South African cricket legend AB de Villiers suggested that Team India may have moved quickly from the 35-year-old recurring bowl. and knee injury from the 2023 World Cup.Shami’s last Test appearance for India came in June 2023 during the World Test Championship final against Australia. He then underwent surgery to address his injuries sustained during the 2023 World Cup campaign.Despite being ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia due to knee problems, Shami made a big comeback in the Champions Trophy in March 2025 and performed impressively for the Indian team.
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The veteran pacer recently returned to domestic cricket but has not found his way back to the national team.“It’s a big challenge from Team India. I feel like they’ve moved on from him in a way. I don’t know the back story, if maybe he’s got a few little things that he’s still carrying. Maybe he’s lost a meter of pace and doesn’t quite have the zip he used to have. All of that could play a role. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of his YouTube channel for him,” he said.The former South African captain specifically pointed to observations about Shami’s bowling speed in recent times.“If he can still find that extra yard of pace, because that’s one thing I’ve picked up – he’s lost a bit of pace recently and maybe that’s why he’s not in the national team anymore,” de Villiers noted.De Villiers, who expressed his admiration for the Indian fast bowler, remained hopeful of Shami’s potential return to international cricket.“He’s a great bowler. He’s always asking questions of the batsmen. He’s a wicket-to-wicket bowler and he’s a great asset to the team if he’s fit, fit and gutsy. Obviously, it’s a big disappointment not to see him there because he’s a very entertaining player for Team India,” commented the South African.Shami’s non-selection for the Australian tour marks a significant period of absence from the national team for the veteran fast bowler, who has been a key figure in India’s bowling attack in all formats of the game.The upcoming white-ball series against Australia presents another big international assignment where India will be without the services of an experienced pacer who has been integral to the team’s success in recent years.Shami is currently focused on domestic cricket as he works to regain full fitness and can potentially make the case for his return to the national team through consistent performances at the domestic level.The decision to leave Shami out of the tour to Australia suggests a possible shift in India’s bowling strategy, with the team management perhaps looking for younger alternatives for the fast bowling department.
