Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has thrown his weight behind Mohammed Shami for an India return, highlighting the strong performances that he has been putting in the Indian Premier League 2026.
Shami put up an insane performance in Lucknow Super Giants' clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, taking 2/9 in his four overs. He did not let the batters breathe easy as he kept troubling them throughout his spell. The speedster was impressive in LSG's clash against DC in their opener, taking 1/28 in his four overs. Not only in the IPL, but Shami has also performed extremely well in domestic cricket.
Taking notes of his performances in the IPL, Ganguly backed Shami to return to the India colours. "He should be bowling at the other end of Jasprit Bumrah, nowhere else. That's how good he is. We all saw that spell the other night against Sunrisers Hyderabad — four overs, nine runs against two of the best T20 players, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. That was phenomenal," Ganguly said.
Ganguly praises Shami for strong Ranji season
Shami's 2/9 earned him the Player of the Match Award, reminding the selectors of the skills he possesses and can bring to the table if he gets called up again. "He had a strong Ranji Trophy season for Bengal. I still remember that semi-final — even though Bengal lost, he picked up eight wickets. He was instrumental in taking the team that far," he said.
Speaking on Shami's commitment to playing domestic cricket, Ganguly said, "I’m very happy he wants to keep playing in the Ranji Trophy. It’s tough for a fast bowler, but there’s nothing better than watching Mohammed Shami run in with the new ball."
Ganguly feels Shami should play for India
Ganguly highlighted that Shami is looking fit and should make his way back to the Indian team. "He looks fit and sharp. After bowling consistently for months, you naturally reach peak condition — no amount of training matches that. I wish him all the best and would love to see him back in India colours.
"I still believe he should play for India. Hopefully, his time will come again because he’s that good. When the ball comes out with that upright seam, it’s a treat to watch," Ganguly added.
