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India Test legend Cheteshwar Pujara believes that this could be the start of Mohammed Shami’s comeback, after the pacer delivered a tight spell for Lucknow Super Giants against Delhi Capitals in match 5 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Shami, who has been out of the Indian team since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, was picked up by Lucknow for Rs 10 crore in a trade with Sunrisers Hyderabad before the auction. He made an impressive start for his new team, becoming the first bowler in IPL history to take five wickets on the first ball of a match, including getting KL Rahul out in their 2026 opener.
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"This season of the IPL is very important for Mohammed Shami and the way he started off the tournament with this performance against DC shows he means business.
"Yes, his figures read 1 for 28, but it was Shami who played a crucial role in helping his side get off to a strong start in the powerplay. He first got rid of KL Rahul on the very first ball of the run chase and full credit to Shami" said Pujara on Star Sports
Even though Lucknow lost the match by six wickets, Shami’s opening spell showed that he is in good form, especially after taking 67 wickets in domestic cricket recently.
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Pujara also pointed out how well Shami planned his bowling. "He knew that Rahul loves to play the inside-out shot, so he bowled a wide delivery. Rahul played the inside-out shot, but it went straight into the hands of the deep point fielder. Then, he restricted the run flow by bowling tight lines and did not allow the batters to score runs.
"Shami has been playing domestic cricket across all formats in the last one year and the performances have been good. He is translating his domestic form into the IPL. This performance against Delhi is just the beginning of Mohammed Shami's road to redemption," Pujara said.
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