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Mohammed Shami's comeback date in sight after England Tests omission as India star could return to action next month
Mohammed Shami was excluded from India's ongoing Test series against England, but the bowler could make a comeback to competitive cricket soon.
After being excluded from the Test series against England, Mohammed Shami may finally be making a return to cricketing action next month. The veteran Indian pacer, who has endured injury setbacks and a difficult run of form since his last international appearance in March 2025, has now been named in Bengal’s expanded list of 50 probables for the upcoming domestic season.
If selected, Shami could mark his return through the Duleep Trophy, scheduled to begin on August 28.
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At 34, Shami’s experience is invaluable: 64 Tests, 108 ODIs, 25 T20Is, and his place in Indian cricket’s pace legacy remains firm. He last played in India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year, taking nine wickets in five matches, sharing the top wicket-taker honours for India with fellow teammate Varun Chakravarthy. But while he put out strong performances in the campaign, Shami endured a poor season in the Indian Premier League with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The team failed to make the playoffs, finishing sixth, and Shami endured a poor run of form, picking up just six wickets in nine innings, with an alarming economy rate of 11.23. It wasn’t the kind of statement one expected from a senior pro looking to push for the Test series.
Following that stretch, Shami was not considered for India’s marquee five-Test series in England. As chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained, “The medical guys have told us that he has been ruled out of this series. He has been trying to be fit for the series, but he had a setback over the last week, and he has had some MRIs done. I don't think he was going to be able to play five Tests… It is unfortunate. We always want to pick a bowler like him.”
Shami made comeback from injury last year
His absence stems from a combination of issues, first an ankle injury that required surgery in early 2024, followed by persistent knee discomfort. A domestic comeback through Bengal and possibly East Zone may not be a grand return, but for Shami, it’s a chance to prove his body and rhythm can still hold up in a long season.
