After returning from a long injury, Mohammed Shami bowled brilliantly for the Bengal cricket team in Ranji Trophy 2025-26. Will he be able to make a comeback in the national cricket team? The question remains before the IPL 2026 season.
For the IPL 2026 campaign, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have included the experienced fast bowler from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to create an impressive bowling attack. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that a stellar performance in the upcoming Indian Premier League season can bring Mohammed Shami back to the Team India dressing room.
Mohammed Shami was in great form for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season
Mohammed Shami performed brilliantly for Bengal in Ranji Trophy 2025-26. This fast bowler took 38 wickets in seven Ranji Trophy matches, including 8 wickets in the semi-finals. Indian cricket fans will be eager to see Shami bowling with the same intensity in the IPL 2026 season.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes that if Shami bowls equally well for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, the national team selectors may think differently about him. But what the selectors will think about the bowler who justifies his stature may be a hypothetical scenario.
Chopra said on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, “What about Mohammed Shami? There have been a lot of discussions about him not getting a chance to play. He has played everything, and he has done well for Bengal. If you perform well at this level, no one will question what the selectors feel. As of now, the selectors go and see, and what they feel is a hypothetical scenario.”
IPL 2026 could be a defining moment for Mohammed Shami’s international career
Former cricketer turned cricket expert and commentator Chopra says IPL 2026 will be a great platform to showcase what he is still capable of doing. He strongly believes that if the bowler performs well for LSG, he may find his way into the national camp again.
Aakash Chopra further added, “We are all wondering what they might be thinking. However, if you perform well in the IPL, don’t worry at all. The whole world watches. It is a great battle in the center of the Colosseum, and if you perform well here, you can break the door of the Indian team and enter. I think it is a very beautiful opportunity for Mohammed Shami.”
IPL 2025 was a nightmare for the experienced fast bowler
IPL 2025 was a season to forget for the Bengal fast bowler. He took only 6 wickets after playing in 9 matches. The six wickets he took came at an average of 11.23, far from his best.
If we talk about the overall bowling statistics of Mohammed Shami in IPL, the bowler took a total of 133 wickets in 119 matches at an economy rate of 8.63. During the 2021 season, he took 19 wickets in 14 matches while bowling at an economy rate of 7.50 for Punjab Kings.
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