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India's veteran pacer Mohammed Shami is still waiting for his comeback to international cricket. Shami was playing domestic cricket when Jasprit Bumrah was looking for support from the other end on Australian pitches. As the pacer waited for a recall, he felt frustrated and expressed it in front of his childhood coach Badruddin. The coach recalled seeing the hunger in Shami as he shed a tear or two when India struggled to take wickets in Australia.
"I saw that hunger in him when India was struggling in Australia. He would often say, ‘Kaash mai waha hota, mai kuch kar pata India ke liye’ (I wish I were there; I could have done something for India). It was frustrating and heartbreaking for him to watch from the sidelines. Many times, I saw him in tears as he watched the Indian bowlers struggle to take wickets. I kept reminding him that if he focused on his recovery, he’d return stronger and fit to contribute to the team again," Badruddin told TOI.
"Yes, India has had a couple of tough series recently, losing to New Zealand and then in Australia. It’s been a challenging time for the team, but I am confident they’ll get back on track. Shami is in a positive frame of mind, and this time, you’ll see a new version of him—stronger and more precise. He will hit the stumps harder, just like he used to," the coach added.
Shami has not played international cricket since the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia in Ahmedabad. He underwent ankle surgery and had to wait for months to be able to be able to bowl again. He had to prove his fitness by playing domestic cricket in all formats.
After India suffered a 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, former head coach Ravi Shastri and former Australia cricketer Ricky Ponting said that it would have been a different story had Shami been here. Shastri went on to say that Shami should have travelled to Australia irrespective of his fitness status.
Last week, India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad was announced. Shami is set to rub shoulders with Jasprit Bumrah if the latter recovers from lower back injury.
Shami's wait continues
Meanwhile, Shami was not picked to play in the opening encounter of the five-T20I series at his homeground Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Captain Suryakumar Yadav went with one speciallist pacer Arshdeep Singh and picked three spinners in the side.
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