Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan recently opened up on Mohammad Shami’s current situation, saying that how the Bengal pacer is thinking at present is very important.
Shami has not played for the Men in Blue since the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite his excellent performances in the domestic circuit for Bengal, he has been constantly overlooked by the national selectors.
There have been discussions about Shami’s inclusion in the ODI squad ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, but the selectors have continued to ignore him.
During a recent conversation with TOI, Khan was asked how he would have motivated himself if he were in Shami’s place. The former Mumbai cricketer responded, saying:
“It is your decision, the way you want to move forward. If you are playing matches and performing well, you remain available. I see things that way. The team’s thinking is different, but your way of thinking is important. If you want to contribute, it is your decision.”
“The way the team is looking at things and what is going on in the scheme of things, sometimes you can analyse how you are thinking. But how can you contribute to that? As a player, you should do what Shami is doing. He is playing. As you said, he is playing matches. That is important,” Khan added.
Shami picked up 37 wickets in seven matches in the last Ranji Trophy season for Bengal. The right-arm pacer was equally good in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, claiming 15 wickets in seven matches.
“Injuries are part and parcel of the game” – Zaheer Khan on the current injury scene in Indian cricket
Khan, the 2011 World Cup winner, also spoke about the current injury concerns plaguing the Indian team. Stressing that injuries are part and parcel of the game, he said fast bowlers need to keep a check on what is within their control.
“Injuries are part and parcel of the game,” Khan said. “They are part and parcel of every individual’s journey. You can talk about workload management, but you also need to understand the timing of events. You can see some things, but overall, you have to plan accordingly.”
“If a fast bowler sustains an injury or goes through a difficult phase, it is very important to control the things in your hands. You have to control them properly. Until you know the root cause, you can’t move forward,” he concluded.
Indian cricket is currently facing a significant injury wave, particularly affecting the fast-bowling unit and all-rounders. A cluster of core players is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
Edited by Ankush Das
