“Still a Lot of Cricket Left in Me” – Mohammed Shami Shines with Five-For After England Tour Snub

Mohammed Shami responded to his recent selection snub with a five-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy and declaring it was not a comeback.

Mohammed Shami got a five-wicket haul to guide Bengal to their second straight win in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy. The pacer returned figures of 5 for 38 at Eden Gardens, helping Bengal defeat Gujarat by 144 runs. Across both innings, Shami took eight wickets from 28.3 overs. With 15 wickets at an average of 10.46 in four innings, he now ranks third among the season’s top wicket-takers.

“When you perform like this, it feels good both mentally and physically. Coming out of a difficult phase and performing well gives a lot of satisfaction. The time after the [2023] World Cup was tough and painful,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Shami as saying after the match.

“But then I played the Ranji Trophy, white-ball cricket, the IPL, Champions Trophy, Duleep Trophy [since his comeback late last year]. Now my rhythm is back to where it was before. I can clearly feel there’s still a lot of cricket left in me,” he added.

Mohammed Shami Dismisses ‘Comeback’ Tag

Shami then expressed his disappointment over missing India’s England tour but responded by saying that that his recent Ranji Trophy outing was not a comeback. Ignoring social media debates, he said his priority is to deliver strong performances whenever he plays.

“This was not a comeback match for me. If you had said that last year, maybe it would have made sense. But yes, in terms of this match, what we did was a special comeback. We decided to bat for 8-10 overs today, we had already taken three points [first-innings lead]. The situation was tough, but the boys put in their full effort. To turn the game in this manner is rare, especially on this kind of wicket. It’s a great job by the boys,” he said.

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“Yes, I knew this question would come. Controversy follows me. What else can I do or say? In today’s world, social media twists everything. My job is to perform well. Wherever I get an opportunity, I’ll give my best. The rest is up to God. Bengal is my home. Every match I play for Bengal is special,” he added.

Earlier, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had cited lack of match fitness as the reason for Mohammed Shami’s exclusion from the West Indies Tests. Since then, speculation about his national return has continued, especially after his strong Ranji form.