Mohammed Shami’s hopes of returning to red-ball cricket for India have taken a serious blow, with reports indicating that the seasoned pacer may be left out of the upcoming five-match Test series in England. Despite his reputation and experience, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appears reluctant to include Shami due to ongoing concerns about his ability to sustain long bowling spells.
The 2025 IPL season has seen Shami represent Sunrisers Hyderabad, but his recent form hasn’t been convincing. His limited appearances for SRH, where he has bowled just short four-over spells, have reportedly raised eyebrows within the BCCI’s medical team. The veteran pacer had already missed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia because of injuries, and now his readiness for the grueling English tour is under serious question.
According to a report, the BCCI’s medical team has communicated to chief selector Ajit Agarkar and his panel that Shami is not yet in a condition to bowl “full throttle” in the longer format. This has made his selection for the England Tests increasingly unlikely.
“Shami is bowling four overs in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the board and selectors don’t know whether he can bowl more than 10 overs in a day. Test matches in England may demand longer spells from the pacers, and we can’t take chances,” the publication quoted a source as saying.
Mohammed Shami’s fitness concerns seem to have overtaken his on-field contributions, with selectors likely prioritizing fully fit fast bowlers capable of handling the physical demands of an intense and potentially seam-friendly English summer. For now, the path back into the Test fold appears uncertain for one of India’s most experienced fast bowlers.
