Sourav Ganguly has rejected suggestions that India’s selectors have overlooked Mohammed Shami, saying the fast bowler has not been neglected. The former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal president spoke to the media at Eden Gardens after the Duleep Trophy final.
The final
Ishan Kishan scored 270 as East Zone made 708 in their first innings. South Zone were bowled out for 336, leaving East Zone with a 372-run lead. Kishan was Player of the Match, and South Zone captain Tilak Varma was Player of the Tournament.
Shami played his 100th first-class match in the final. He took two wickets, those of Ravichandran Smaran and Shaik Rasheed, and ended the tournament with seven.
Ganguly’s view
Asked about Shami’s chances of an India recall, Ganguly said he was glad to see the pacer doing well in domestic cricket and acknowledged how much Shami has achieved. On whether Shami could be in the squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, he declined to comment, saying October 2027 is a long way off.
When asked whether Ajit Agarkar’s selection panel had ignored Shami, Ganguly disagreed. He called Shami a champion who has played a lot, and said such things happen as players get older. He recalled that he was dropped from ODIs despite having scored over 10,000 runs, yet found his way back.
What next for Shami
The Duleep Trophy performance should give Shami confidence. With plenty of cricket before the World Cup, a route back to the national team is still open.
