Mohammed Shami doubtful for England tour, struggling to finish his run-up: Report

India's veteran pacer Mohammed Shami's services were missed on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia as Jasprit Bumrah lacked support. Many including Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting believed that Shami's presence would have tilted the series in India's favour. However, weeks ahead of the England tour, Shami is not an automatic choice as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is yet to announce the Test squad.

A TOI report claims that Shami is struggling to finish his run-up. He hasn't been bowling well and the ball is not carrying to the wicketkeeper like it used to. The slump is a result of the injury he suffered during the 2023 ODI World Cup which kept him out of action for a long time.

“As of now, Shami isn’t an automatic pick. It’s been months since he has come back to international cricket but he has barely been in rhythm. While IPL performances are not usually considered while picking India teams, Shami is struggling to finish his run-up and the ball is not carrying to the wicketkeeper like it used to before his Achilles tendon injury after the 2023 ODI World Cup. He invariably goes back to the dressing room after a short spell for recovery,” BCCI source told the English daily.

Shami's struggle is an alarming sign for the selectors as they hoped that at least Shami or Bumrah played in every Test of the five-Test series.

“The initial plan was to ensure the team can at least play either of Shami or Bumrah in every Test. However, if Bumrah is rested for a match and Shami struggles to pull through, it will be a big issue. They are trying to understand the problem Shami may be facing,” the source further added.

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Shami lacks form in IPL 2025

Shami looked like a pale shadow of himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 before it was suspended for a week in the wake of escalation on India-Pakistan border. One of Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) premier pick in the mega auction, Shami took just six wickets from nine games at an underwhelming average of 56.16. He did not feature in a couple of games as well.

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Shami's comeback to international cricket

Before the IPL 2025, Shami made his return to the T20I side for England series. He remained wicketless on return and then claimed three wickets at Wankhede Stadium. In the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, he was joint second-highest wicket-taker with nine wickets from five games at an average of 25.89, including a fifer against Bangladesh in India's campaign opener.

Shami's numbers on England soil

Shami has played 14 Tests in England and bagged 42 wickets from 14 games at an average of 40.50. The 34-year-old is yet to take a fifer on England soil.

Squad announcement for England tour

After Rohit Sharma's retirement, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is yet to announce the new captain and the squad for five-Test series on England soil. Also, Virat Kohli has informed the BCCI about his decision to retire from Test cricket. The squad is expected to be announced on May 16.