For the upcoming tour of New Zealand, Mohammed Shami is not included in the Indian squads. Mohammed Shami was not included in India’s T20I squad, which was revealed on October 6, and their ODI and Test squads on October 16. The tour starts on October 22 with five Twenty20 Internationals, then moves on to five One-Day Internationals on November 4 and two Test matches on November 19.
Mohammed Shami has been left out of India’s squads for the upcoming New Zealand tour
Since the Champions Trophy final in March 2025, Mohammed Shami has not played for his country. His most recent Test match was in June 2023 during the World Test Championship final. Despite his recent domestic performances, selectors and team management are reportedly worried about his fitness because they don’t know if he can maintain longer bowling spells. With the departure of Ajit Agarkar earlier this month, the selection committee, now headed by Pragyan Ojha, has focused on younger fast bowlers for the tour.
Mohammed Shami stated that he is still dedicated to playing well in each game. I’m always upbeat and committed to giving my best effort in every game. I want to continue playing as many games as I can because it keeps me moving forward physically, enhances my performance, and sharpens my abilities. Right now, I’m concentrating on that.
Mohammed Shami remarked, “There’s nothing more I can do than keep playing and doing my best.”I’m totally preoccupied with my own game and don’t give much thought to what other people are doing. Meeting the demands of the team and the game is my top priority. Additionally, I’ve completely stopped using social media because I dislike spending too much time on it. Rather, I’m concentrating on playing as many games as I can this season, being on the field, and putting in the hours during practice sessions. He continued, “I want to devote my time and effort there.
Recent domestic performances by the 36-year-old pacer have been impressive. Shami averaged 16.72 while taking 37 wickets for Bengal in seven games during the 2025–2026 Ranji Trophy campaign. In three games, he took seven wickets at an average of 26.57 to help East Zone win the Duleep Trophy in 2026. With scores of 4 for 30 and 1 for 29 in his first match, he has already made an impression in the 2026–27 Ranji Trophy.
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Over the previous two seasons, Mohammed Shami’s IPL record has shown less impressive results. He claimed six wickets for Sunrisers Hyderabad in nine IPL 2025 matches and twelve wickets for Lucknow Super Giants in thirteen IPL 2026 matches. His current priorities are the domestic season and preserving his competitive advantage.
Ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, age is probably going to be a topic of discussion, but Mohammed Shami is still committed to maintaining his competitiveness through steady play and a full domestic season. The 37-year-old senior pacer stated that he is giving it his all and letting God handle the rest. As he continues to strive for a potential return to international cricket, Mohammed Shami added that participating in the full domestic season would be crucial for his growth.
I’m making every effort and giving it my all. Beyond that, God is in charge of what occurs and what does not. For the time being, it’s crucial that I play the whole domestic season because it will enable me to hone my abilities, raise my game, and remain ready for anything that comes up,” Shami stated.
