More than a resemblance: Shami’s brother Mohammed Kaif is chasing his own cricketing dream

For a while, Mohammed Kaif could pass for his elder brother without throwing a ball.

Standing near the boundary during Bengal’s 2026-27 Ranji Trophy match against Services in Palam, Kaif was mistaken by people for Mohammed Shami. The resemblance was striking enough to make viewers look twice. Put a cap on both brothers and it becomes even more difficult to tell them apart.

Twenty-nine-year-old Kaif is used to comparisons. He has grown up around Shami, practices with him and discusses bowling with him. But the similarity has also provided material for a few jokes in the cricket dressing room.

For example, Virat Kohli once decided to poke fun at Kaif’s expense.

“India was playing a Pink Ball Test match at the Eden Gardens. I was standing down and Virat came and started making jokes, pretending not to know me or acting like someone else just to tease,” Kaif recalled.

“He knows Shami bhai very well so he was pulling my leg just for fun.

Kaif also met Pat Cummins during one of the Indian Premier League seasons. He laughed when asked if the Australian quick had greeted him with a “Hello Shami”.

“No, no! That ‘Hello Shami’, that was Virat!” Mohammed Kaif on the field during Bengal’s Ranji Trophy match against Services (India Today Photo)

The joke works because the resemblance is real. Badruddin, the coach who has known Shami and Kaif since their childhood, also noticed this.

“It just happens naturally because they are brothers and having seen him grow up, he matches up to Shami to some extent. It’s just a natural thing,” Badruddin said.

However, in Palam, Kaif had to play a game. He did not figure in Bengal’s season opener against Delhi in Kalyani but entered the XI against Services after Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar left for India A. Shami asked to be left out as he knew the surface did not warrant him.

On a surface dominated by spinners, Kaif did not have to mix long spells. He bowled four overs without taking a wicket in the first innings and then returned figures of one for seven in five overs in the second. But his wicket came at an important moment: he dismissed Ravi Chauhan leg-before-wicket when Services were 79 for one, chasing 209. Bengal eventually won by 61 runs.

Kaif didn’t dominate the scorecard but stayed involved, encouraging the bowling group from the boundary and being ready whenever called upon by the captain. His fielding also carried the energy associated with his older brother.

Shami was at Palam, strolling along the sidelines and overseeing the team’s progress, including Kaif’s contribution.

COMPETITION WITH BHAIYO

Mohammad Kaif played 15 Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal (Courtesy: Kaif/Instagram)

But the bond between the brothers goes beyond their faces. It started on the roof of their house with a tennis ball, arguments over runs, and the kind of sibling rivalry that needed no audience.

“Ah, those children’s stories!” Kaif said with a laugh when asked if he used to compete with Shami as kids.

“When we used to play cricket on the roof, we used to compete all the time and decide who would score how many runs in an over or who would get out. We would practice with a tennis ball on the roof and our matches and arguments would always go on.”

Shami’s journey to professional cricket gave these games a direction. Kaif was around 14 or 15 when his elder brother made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2010-11. He already knew what he wanted to do.

“My mind was always in cricket,” he said.

“My father supported us a lot, stood by us, whether it was Shami bhai or me, and always took us to practice.

“He would call us before every game and he would call us after the game to ask how it went and get all the details. The support of the family was always there.”

Shami and Kaif started training under coach Badruddin in Uttar Pradesh and still return to their farm there to work on their game whenever they can.

MOVING TO KOLKATA

Kaif moved to Kolkata around the time Shami started his Ranji career. He played for the Bengal U-23 teams and spent most of his cricketing life around the Bengal set-up. Still, it was not a foregone conclusion that he would become a fast bowler.

“When I started, I was just batting. I never thought I’d be a pitcher,” he said.

“But when I went to Kolkata, I started bowling there and eventually made my Ranji Trophy debut as a bowler. I felt great because Shami bhai is a fast bowler, it added another boost.”

KAIF’S RANJI NUMBERS

• 2023-24 (debut season): 17 wickets in six matches, including 3/62 on debut and 4/14 against Uttar Pradesh.
• 2024-25: 17 goals in five games.
• 2025-26: Nine goals in three games.
• 2026-27: One goal in one game.

Kaif made his List A debut for Bengal in 2021 and his first-class debut in January 2024. When the Ranji cap finally came, Shami tagged it publicly. “Finally after a long struggle you won the Ranji trophy cap for Bengal,” he wrote on social media before wishing his younger brother a bright future and urging him to give his 100 per cent and keep working hard. Screengrab by Mohammed Shami/Instagram

Since making his debut for Bengal in January 2024, Kaif has played 15 first-class matches and taken 44 wickets. He has also appeared in nine domestic 50-over and T20 matches for Bengal, with opportunities in the shorter formats still limited.

LEARNING FROM SHAMI

This support has become one of Kaif’s greatest assets. Over the past year and a half, the brothers have spent significantly more time together, giving Kaif the opportunity to learn directly from Shami. Shami had time to give his brother because it is not currently part of the national arrangement.

“Yes, we discuss bowling all the time. We didn’t have much time together before but we have been together for the last year and a half so I can learn a lot from him,” he said.

Kaif posted videos of his practice sessions on social media and describes the experience as practicing against the best. He sees it as an advantage few young fast bowlers would hope for.

“It gives me confidence because I’m training with him. I know he’s one of the best red-ball or white-ball bowlers out there. I won’t get better training anywhere else,” he said.

“In matches, I always think that if I can face or train against a person who makes others train, no one can get me out easily. I keep myself mentally ready and remind myself that since I am training with Shami bhai, I should not give away my wicket easily.”

Kaif has two or three half-centuries but fast bowling has become his calling. Shami’s presence offers him both technical guidance and a demanding standard to measure himself against.

Does being Shami’s younger brother bring pressure?

“There is always pressure in every game whether your brothers are big or not,” Kaif said.

“But since the name bhaiya is attached to me, I have to push myself a bit more. I train with Shami bhai and learn from him, which gives me an opportunity to showcase my skills.”

There is another side to their relationship. Kaif says Shami doesn’t just offer encouragement; he corrects him, pushes him and expects him to improve.

“There is nothing ‘bad’ as such, everything is for our betterment,” Kaif replied when asked about the best and worst thing about Shami as a brother.

“The best part is that he always pushes me and corrects me during practice.

For all the advantages of having an Indian fast bowler at home, Kaif’s career did not go in a straight line. His progress was interrupted by an 18-month layoff due to a shoulder injury, a period that coincided with the death of his father.

“I didn’t go to the ground for 18 months and at the same time my father died. That was the hardest phase of my life. I couldn’t understand what was happening,” he said.

“But with exercise, guidance from a physio and Shami bhai’s consultation, I was able to recover and push through.

WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY

Opportunities for the Bengali side were limited by the pace attack with Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar. Kaif knows that getting a place requires patience as well as preparation.

“I just focus on my practice. I keep talking to bhaiya. Mentally I have to stay ready because I never know when I will play or when the guys might arrive,” he said.

“Mostly talking to bhaiya helps me a lot because he always tells me to stay mentally prepared and I practice accordingly.

That wait was rewarded by Palam.

“I just prepared mentally because I knew that wherever I get a chance to play, I have to prove myself. Even sitting on the bench was fine. In the last match, there were three Indian fast bowlers in the squad, so placement is tough. But whenever I get an opportunity, I will perform and give 100 percent,” Kaif said.

KAIF HAS POTENTIAL: COACH

Badruddin believes there will be more to come. But his assessment is not an uncomplicated confirmation.

“The potential is definitely there, but he still needs a little more hard work,” the coach said. “If he works harder, more things will come up and he’s going to learn slowly. It takes a little bit of time. But he’s got the ability; he can do it and he’s got the ability to go up and excel.”

He believes Kaif’s bowling has improved, especially his pace and variation, but there is still work to be done.

“His line and length are good but he needs to work on his pace and learn where to bowl to get wickets. It takes time to learn those things and as he plays more matches he will learn.”

IPL AND BEYOND

Mohammed Kaif attended trials with IPL teams (India Today Photo)

Kaif does not lack ambition. He has already taken part in an IPL trial with Delhi Capitals and traveled straight from a Ranji Trophy match after being called up at short notice. He wants to continue to perform in domestic cricket and give himself a chance for promotion.

“There is hope, we play, we’ll see,” he said.

“Every player has a primary goal to play in the IPL. Age doesn’t matter much, it’s about your performance and the environment on the ground.”

Ask him to name his favorite fast bowler and he ends up offering Pat Cummins, though he can’t resist going back to Shami.

“There’s Shami bhai… (laughs). But I’ve always liked Pat Cummins’ bowling the most,” he said.

For now, Kaif is focused on making the most of the opportunities that come his way.

“Right now, our focus is just to perform well in the current matches, be it IPL Tests or domestic tournaments, and to give our best,” Kaif said.

In Palam, more than one person mistook Kaif for Shami when he was standing near the border. The resemblance is hard to miss. So was the influence his elder brother had on his cricket, from the children’s games on the roof to bowling together.

But Kaif has ground to match. Badruddin believes he needs to mix it up quicker and learn to find the right wicket lengths. With Bengal’s pace opportunities opening up, the challenge is to turn his potential into performances.

– The end