Mohammed Shami's Bengal T20 hat-trick revives debate over India return
Mohammed Shami took a Bengal T20 League hat-trick for Siliguri Strikers against Rarh Tigers. The spell revived scrutiny of India's selection calls as the veteran remains outside ODI and Test plans.
Veteran India fast bowler Mohammed Shami produced a timely reminder of his quality by claiming a hat-trick in the Bengal T20 League, helping Siliguri Strikers register a dominant win over Rarh Tigers. The impressive spell comes at a time when the 35-year-old finds himself increasingly on the fringes of India's plans across formats.
Shami's performance has once again sparked discussion about his international future, particularly after he was overlooked for India's recent assignments despite an encouraging domestic season.
The veteran pacer delivered the decisive blow in the Bengal T20 League encounter when he dismissed Shahbaz Ahmed in the 16th over before removing Rohit Kumar and Dipanjan Mukherjee off successive deliveries to complete a memorable hat-trick. Shami finished with figures of 4/27 from his four overs, playing a key role in Siliguri Strikers' victory.
His latest exploits come just weeks after being left out of India's squad for the ongoing Afghanistan series. The omission followed another snub earlier in the year when he failed to make India's ODI squad for the New Zealand series despite strong performances in domestic cricket.
“No (discussions on Shami's Test return). As far as we have been told that at this point...his body is allowing him to (play), I know he has played a domestic season this year,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said during the squad announcement.
“But from the information that I have got, is that at this point it's T20 cricket that he's sort of ready for. So there was no discussion regarding him,” Agarkar added.
INDIA SNUB CONTINUES
The comments offered a glimpse into the selectors' thinking, suggesting that concerns over Shami's workload and long-term fitness continue to influence selection decisions. While the fast bowler has returned to competitive cricket and shown flashes of his old brilliance, India's management appears cautious about reintegrating him into the Test and ODI setup.
Shami last represented India in the Champions Trophy final in March 2025 and has since disappeared from the national team's ODI and Test plans. Even though he enjoyed a productive domestic campaign, it was not enough to force his way back into contention.
The Bengal pacer claimed 47 wickets across 16 domestic matches during the season, including 20 wickets in the Ranji Trophy, 16 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and 11 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Those performances strengthened the argument for a national recall, but selectors have continued to look elsewhere.
His IPL campaign also failed to significantly alter the perception around his future. Shami picked up 12 wickets during the season, but his returns came at an average of 38.25 as Lucknow Super Giants endured a disappointing campaign and finished at the bottom of the table.
At 35, Shami's situation is intertwined with India's ongoing transition in the pace-bowling department. With an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup and future Test cycles, selectors appear focused on building a younger fast-bowling group capable of serving the team across formats for years to come.
Yet performances like his Bengal T20 League hat-trick ensure that the conversation around Shami refuses to go away. While the selectors may be planning for the future, the veteran continues to show that he still has the ability to influence matches and remind everyone why he remains one of India's finest white-ball bowlers of the modern era.
Veteran India fast bowler Mohammed Shami produced a timely reminder of his quality by claiming a hat-trick in the Bengal T20 League, helping Siliguri Strikers register a dominant win over Rarh Tigers. The impressive spell comes at a time when the 35-year-old finds himself increasingly on the fringes of India's plans across formats.
Shami's performance has once again sparked discussion about his international future, particularly after he was overlooked for India's recent assignments despite an encouraging domestic season.
The veteran pacer delivered the decisive blow in the Bengal T20 League encounter when he dismissed Shahbaz Ahmed in the 16th over before removing Rohit Kumar and Dipanjan Mukherjee off successive deliveries to complete a memorable hat-trick. Shami finished with figures of 4/27 from his four overs, playing a key role in Siliguri Strikers' victory.
His latest exploits come just weeks after being left out of India's squad for the ongoing Afghanistan series. The omission followed another snub earlier in the year when he failed to make India's ODI squad for the New Zealand series despite strong performances in domestic cricket.
“No (discussions on Shami's Test return). As far as we have been told that at this point...his body is allowing him to (play), I know he has played a domestic season this year,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said during the squad announcement.
“But from the information that I have got, is that at this point it's T20 cricket that he's sort of ready for. So there was no discussion regarding him,” Agarkar added.
INDIA SNUB CONTINUES
The comments offered a glimpse into the selectors' thinking, suggesting that concerns over Shami's workload and long-term fitness continue to influence selection decisions. While the fast bowler has returned to competitive cricket and shown flashes of his old brilliance, India's management appears cautious about reintegrating him into the Test and ODI setup.
Shami last represented India in the Champions Trophy final in March 2025 and has since disappeared from the national team's ODI and Test plans. Even though he enjoyed a productive domestic campaign, it was not enough to force his way back into contention.
The Bengal pacer claimed 47 wickets across 16 domestic matches during the season, including 20 wickets in the Ranji Trophy, 16 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and 11 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Those performances strengthened the argument for a national recall, but selectors have continued to look elsewhere.
His IPL campaign also failed to significantly alter the perception around his future. Shami picked up 12 wickets during the season, but his returns came at an average of 38.25 as Lucknow Super Giants endured a disappointing campaign and finished at the bottom of the table.
At 35, Shami's situation is intertwined with India's ongoing transition in the pace-bowling department. With an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup and future Test cycles, selectors appear focused on building a younger fast-bowling group capable of serving the team across formats for years to come.
Yet performances like his Bengal T20 League hat-trick ensure that the conversation around Shami refuses to go away. While the selectors may be planning for the future, the veteran continues to show that he still has the ability to influence matches and remind everyone why he remains one of India's finest white-ball bowlers of the modern era.
