SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
The ongoing white-ball series against the West Indies has highlighted the shortcomings in India’s bowling. West Indies captain Shai Hope has hammered four centuries and a half-century. Time and again, the Indian bowlers have failed to contain the West Indies batsmen. And this West Indies team is not even a shadow of the formidable West Indian teams of the past.
One thing is very clear—Indian bowling has lost its sting. In this situation, India cannot afford to discard a proven match-winner like Mohammed Shami merely because younger fast bowlers are waiting in the wings. Shami has not been named in the squad that will embark on a tour of New Zealand after a few days, but he must be brought back as early as possible.
At 36, the Bengal fast bowler is still demonstrating his ability to trouble batsmen in domestic cricket, yet the selectors appear to be looking elsewhere as they attempt to build a younger pace attack. England’s most successful fast bowler, James Anderson, retired a few days before his 42nd birthday. Joe Root, who is now inching closer and closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s world record, is 35. So, where Shami is concerned, the question that has to be asked is, should age outweigh performance when selecting a team to represent the country?
Shami has not played for India since the Champions Trophy in March 2025, despite producing several impressive performances in domestic cricket. In February 2026, he claimed eight wickets in a Ranji Trophy semi-final against Jammu and Kashmir, a performance that strengthened the argument that he remained capable of bowling at a high level.
Shami and his impressive records
His statistics speak for themselves. In Test matches, he has 229 wickets from 64 matches; in ODIs, he has 206 wickets from 108 matches, and in T20Is, he has 27 wickets from 25 matches. Recently, he began the 2026–27 Ranji Trophy season with a four-wicket haul for Bengal against Delhi, again drawing attention to his continuing effectiveness. These are not the performances of a bowler whose career has ended.
Shami’s case becomes even stronger when his international achievements are considered. He was India’s leading wicket-taker at the 2023 ODI World Cup, finishing with 24 wickets in just seven matches. His ability to extract movement, generate pace, and seam the ball makes him a formidable proposition, particularly in conditions that offer assistance to fast bowlers. Few Indian pacers possess his combination of experience, control and an understanding of how to dismiss accomplished batsmen.
The BCCI selectors have reportedly been keen to develop a pool of younger fast bowlers for the future. There is nothing wrong with that objective. Indian cricket must constantly identify and groom fresh talent. However, the process of rebuilding should not become an excuse for overlooking a proven performer who may still have an important role to play. Now that Ajit Agarkar no longer calls the shots, hopefully a fresh outlook will emerge in the selection policies.
Several young fast bowlers have been tried in recent times, but the transition to international cricket is rarely smooth. Inexperience, inconsistency and the pressure of playing at the highest level can affect even talented youngsters. If the team is struggling to find the right combination, why should an experienced bowler who continues to take wickets be denied an opportunity to compete for a place?
If Bhuvi can come back, why not Shami?
Indeed, the return of experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to India’s T20I squad in October 2026 demonstrates that experience need not be an automatic disqualification. The two bowlers have different skills and cannot be judged identically, but Bhuvneshwar’s recall reinforces the principle that performance should keep the door open for an experienced player.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has also questioned the apparent closing of the door on Shami, arguing that the veteran still has something to offer. Shami himself has remained focused on performing for Bengal, recently responding to questions about his fitness by pointing to his performances on the field.
India should not select Shami merely because of his past reputation. At the same time, it should not reject him merely because he is older than his competitors. The sensible approach would be to assess his present fitness, examine his recent performances and give him a fair opportunity to demonstrate his readiness for international cricket.
Objective should be best team, not just youngest
The ultimate objective of selection is to assemble the strongest possible team, not simply the youngest. If Shami is fit and continues to take wickets, his experience could be invaluable in major international contests, where pressure and tactical intelligence matter as much as youthful enthusiasm.
Indian cricket has benefited enormously from Shami’s services. To overlook him without an assessment of what he can still contribute would be unfair to him as well as to Indian cricket. Youth deserves encouragement, but merit also deserves recognition. The selectors should keep the doors open for Mohammed Shami and look at his performances, rather than the date on his birth certificate, to determine his international future. He has demonstrated that he can still shoulder the burden for India, and he should be brought back at the earliest opportunity.
SOURCE : SIASAT
