Ganguly Insists Mohammed Shami Deserves Place in India Team Across All Formats

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has issued a strong endorsement for veteran pacer Mohammed Shami's return to the national team across all formats, emphasising the bowler's peak fitness and form following his omission from the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa. Speaking on Monday after being named the global brand ambassador for Kabuni, a UK-based AI-driven sports coaching platform, Ganguly highlighted Shami's recent domestic performances as evidence of his readiness. The 35-year-old fast bowler, who last represented India during the 2025 Champions Trophy in March, has been overlooked by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee despite his standout contributions in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.

Ganguly, a revered figure in Indian cricket known for his aggressive leadership style that transformed the team's fortunes in the early 2000s, praised Shami's resilience post his ankle surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he claimed a record 24 wickets at an average of 10.70. In three Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal this season, Shami has bowled an impressive 91 overs and secured 15 wickets, single-handedly turning games in the team's first two victories before a wicketless outing against Tripura. "Shami is bowling exceptionally well. He is fit, and we saw that in the three Ranji Trophy matches, where he won games for Bengal on his own," Ganguly stated, adding, "I don't see any reason why he can't keep playing Tests, one-dayers, and T20 cricket for India." This comes amid reports of selection controversies, including claims that Shami refused to play in certain matches, underscoring the ongoing dialogue between the player and selectors.

The broader context of Shami's snub reflects evolving dynamics in India's pace bowling unit, particularly with no red-ball cricket scheduled for the next six months, raising questions about whether his last Test appearance was the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023. Emerging talents like Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep have solidified their roles, while Shami's history of recurring injuries—compounded by the 2027 ODI World Cup still being two years away—may be factoring into the committee's decisions. Ganguly acknowledged potential communication between Shami and the selectors but stressed the bowler's "enormous skill" remains unmatched, urging a swift reintegration to bolster India's attack in a post-retirement era for stalwarts like him.

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Shifting focus to the South Africa series starting Friday at Eden Gardens, Ganguly advocated for young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel's inclusion in the playing XI on batting merit alone, despite the return of Rishabh Pant from a foot fracture sustained during the England series in July. Jurel's recent form, including twin centuries against South Africa 'A' in an unofficial Test in Bengaluru, has caught attention, with Ganguly suggesting the No. 3 spot—currently held by Sai Sudharsan—as a viable option. He described India's squad as a "bundle of talent", citing the spin prowess and standout performances from Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and others in their recent England tour. As overwhelming favourites at home, Ganguly's insights underscore the blend of experience and youth poised to dominate the series.

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