Bengal cricket selectors have named Mohammed Shami among their 50-man probables for the upcoming domestic season. The 34-year-old fast bowler missed India's current England tour after selectors raised fitness concerns. Shami last played competitive cricket during the IPL 2025 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad, performing below his usual standards. His most recent international appearance came during India's victorious Champions Trophy campaign, where he shared the team's leading wicket-taker position with Varun Chakaravarthy at nine dismissals each. The pacer has struggled with injuries since India's 2023 ODI World Cup run, where he claimed 24 wickets as the tournament's top bowler.
Ankle surgery followed that World Cup performance, sidelining Shami from competitive action. He returned successfully by helping Bengal defeat Madhya Pradesh by 11 runs in the Ranji Trophy, taking seven wickets and contributing 37 runs. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed Shami's absence from the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, citing insufficient fitness for Test match demands. The bowler's last Test appearance occurred during the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023. Bengal's probables list also features Abhimanyu Easwaran, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Abishek Porel.
Ankle surgery followed that World Cup performance, sidelining Shami from competitive action. He returned successfully by helping Bengal defeat Madhya Pradesh by 11 runs in the Ranji Trophy, taking seven wickets and contributing 37 runs. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed Shami's absence from the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, citing insufficient fitness for Test match demands. The bowler's last Test appearance occurred during the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023. Bengal's probables list also features Abhimanyu Easwaran, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Abishek Porel.
