'Why will I leave hope': Mohammed Shami remains optimistic about India return despite NZ tour snub

Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's inclusion in the India squad for the T20Is on the upcoming New Zealand tour reignited talks about Mohammed Shami making a comeback. The Bengal pacer had last played for India in March 2025 during the Champions Trophy where he was the joint-highest wicket-taker with nine wickets alongside Varun Chakaravarthy. Shami has been playing in domestic cricket since then including the IPL, but the selectors seem to have moved past him. The pacer, however, brushed aside questions on his fitness and said that he's not thinking too far ahead in the future.

Shami opens up on New Zealand snub

The pacer is part of the Bengal squad for the ongoing Ranji Trophy and spoke to reporters after the Bengal vs Services game, which he sat out. Shami addressed concerns about his fitness and said, "How can anyone else from the outside decide whether I bowl long spells or not? That is dependent on the demands of the team."

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"Why will I leave hope? The hope should always be there," he said about playing for India again. "In any profession, you shouldn't leave hope. You should always have a goal."

The pacer was also asked about his chances for the 2027 ODI World Cup, to which he said: "I don't think that far ahead. You never know what will happen in life. You don't know who will score runs or take wickets. There is no point thinking that far ahead. Just keep playing the matches. Just keep improving. I always say that my focus should be on my skill and my fitness. I don't want to take any load by thinking far into the future. I am getting to play domestic cricket right now. There is a lot of time (for the 2027 ODI World Cup), and for now, I am enjoying playing domestic cricket."

How has Shami's recent form been?

In his first Ranji Trophy match of the season, Shami took a total of five wickets against Delhi including a four-for in the first innings. Before that, he played in the Duleep Trophy, which kickstarted India's domestic season, and took seven wickets in total across three games for East Zone.