 "Mohammed Shami has not been picked for India since the Champions Trophy 2025. Image: AP")
Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami has hit back at his critics and those who have suggested that he must retire from international cricket, as the 34-year-old pacer asked how his leaving the game would benefit anyone. Shami has been out of the Indian cricket team for a while after making his return in January after a gap of 14 months .
He was not picked for the five-match Test series in England due to fitness issues and the same has kept him out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad. Amid another prolonged absence, there have been suggestions that Shami may not manage to make another return to Team India and retirement might be the next natural step for him.
Shami: ‘If someone has a problem, tell me’
The Bengal pacer, who is part of the East Zone team in the ongoing Duleep Trophy, hit back at any such suggestion, saying that he will retire from cricket when he is bored, but right now he isn’t.
“If someone has a problem, tell me, if it is like their lives become better if I take retirement. Tell me whose life have I become a rock in that you want me to retire? The day I get bored, I will leave. You don’t pick me, but I will keep working hard. You don’t pick me in international, I will play domestic. I will keep playing somewhere or the other. You have to make these decisions when you start feeling bored. That is not the time for me now,” Shami told News24.
Shami, who was part of the Indian team that lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia, added that winning the 2027 ICC tournament is the main dream now.
“I only have one dream left, that is to win the ODI World Cup. I want to be a part of that team and perform that wins the ODI World Cup and brings it home. We were very close in 2023. We had a gut feeling, but we also had a fear that we were winning non-stop, and it was the knockout stage. There was some fear. But the enthusiasm and belief of the fans motivated us. This was a dream that could have been fulfilled, but maybe it was not in my luck,” he added.
Shami sends reminder about his sacrifices
Shami, who finished the 2023 World Cup as the highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets, was out of international action for 14 months due to an ankle injury. In the interview, Shami reflected on how he has continuously sacrificed his body for Team India.
“We often overpush, and then we have to pay a big penalty. It happened to me during the 2015 World Cup when I pushed a lot and then had to get my knee operated on. It was the same scene in 2023. I played in pain and then I had to give up and spent a lot of time after that. I am not saying not to push, but if it is a normal series, you should talk to the management,” Shami said.