India pacer Mohammed Shami reacted to the controversy swirling around his non-selection and snub from the national team after putting on a stellar performance for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy second round match on Tuesday.
Powering Bengal to the win with a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings against Gujarat at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Shami was asked to open about the selection controversy and his response to the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, who had recently urged the veteran seamer to prove his match fitness by plaing more games.
Speaking after a haul of 5/38 powered Bengal to a 141-run win, Shami reacted to reporters by saying, “Yes, I knew this question would come. I’m always in controversy anyway. You people have already made me the villain! 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 like a memory for me.”
Grateful for the rhythm and hard work paying off. 🙏
Always proud to represent my team. 💪 #RanjiTrophy #Shami #Bengal pic.twitter.com/0oXh29uFfh— 𝕸𝖔𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖉 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖎 (@MdShami11) October 28, 2025
Shami was out for over a year’s action since the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad before making his return to represent India in the Champions Trophy. His last appearance for India was on March 9, 2025, in their victorious Champions Trophy final over New Zealand in Dubai.
“Coming out of a difficult phase and performing well gives a lot of satisfaction. The time after the World Cup was tough and painful. But then I played the Ranji Trophy, white-ball cricket, the IPL, and the Duleep Trophy. Now my rhythm is back to where it was before. I can clearly feel there’s still a lot of cricket left in me.”
Speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday, Shami’s childhood coach Mohammed Badruddin also said that the star seamer has regained his rhythm. “His rhythm has returned and that happens when he is 100 percent match-fit. Rhythm is what matters when it comes to Shami. Once he gets his rhythm, he’s a different bowler. What I saw today was the Shami of old. I didn’t see anything missing. His seam position was good and he seemed to be enjoying bowling. Seam aisa chal raha tha ki pata hi nahi chalta batsmen ko ki kidhar chalega ball (seam position was so good that the batsmen didn’t know which way the ball would move),”
