The Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is underway, and it has entered the third round of the 19th edition of the league. Mohammed Shami has been one of the most talked about players in recent times given his excellent form in all formats of domestic cricket for the Bengal team. The Indian national cricket team has ignored him.
Mohammed Shami once again came out with a stellar performance in the IPL, in the first match he took a wicket on the first ball of KL Rahul in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) match. In the second match, Mohammed Shami produced a match-winning performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and took 9/2 in his four-over spell.
Mohammed Shami shines for LSG
Shami dismantled SRH’s top order by taking the wickets of first Abhishek Sharma and then the dangerous Travis Head. Since returning from injury, the experienced fast bowler has performed brilliantly in domestic cricket and took 8 wickets in an innings in the semi-final against Jammu and Kashmir. He is still waiting to be called into the national team as he last featured in the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand last year.
Ahead of LSG’s next match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Mohammed Shami was present at an event with former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and captain Sourav Ganguly, as the latter praised the fast bowler for his exceptional performances in domestic cricket. Ganguly still believes that Shami should be the second-choice bowler along with Jasprit Bumrah.
He should bowl at the opposite end of Bumrah-Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly was asked, ‘When you see Mohammed Shami these days, the game is a matter of joy. How much happiness do these people give you?’ Ganguly replied, “You know them all. It’s amazing. And I keep saying again and again that he should bowl at the opposite end to Bumrah, not anywhere else. That’s how good he is.”
“We saw magic in the game between Lucknow Supergiants and Sunrisers Hyderabad last night against two of the best T20 players in the world, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Four overs, nine runs, it is a phenomenal effort.”
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“It’s amazing. I keep saying that Shami should bowl at the opposite end with Bumrah for Team India and not anywhere else.”@SGanguly99 When he was asked his views on Mohammed Shami and his performance.#Cricket @IDFCFIRSTBANK @MdShami11@boriamjumdar… pic.twitter.com/SN2pAVfAvW– RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) 7 April 2026
“He took wickets for Bengal throughout the Ranji Trophy season, I still remember the afternoon we lost in the semi-finals – Mohammed Shami came in in the morning and took eight wickets. Although we got the lead and couldn’t play the final, he played a vital role in taking Bengal to the semi-finals this season.”
I still think he should play for India- Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly kept talking about Mohammed Shami’s recent Ranji Trophy performance. He was overwhelmed and also pointed out Shami’s fitness and believes that when a bowler bowls 30 overs a day he naturally becomes fit. Ganguly also believes that Shami should play for India.
Sourav said, “I am very happy to hear that he wants to continue playing Ranji Trophy. I know it is going to be very difficult for him because he is a fast bowler, but I hope he continues to do that for our state. There is nothing better than seeing Mohammed Shami playing with the new ball.”
“I still think he should play for India, and hopefully that opportunity comes. Because he’s so good – when you see the ball coming straight out along the seam, not moving an inch to either side, it’s a joy to watch.”
“So, all the best to him for what he has achieved for India as a player and a fast bowler. I still think he has a few seasons left in him. When I met him today, I told him that he looks as fit as ever. It is great to see him because when you keep bowling for 4-5 months, you naturally get fit.”
“No amount of training is as good as bowling long spells in a Ranji Trophy game. So I wish him all the best. And as I say, with all due respect, I still want to see him bowl for India.”
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