Gautam Gambhir blocked Mohammed Shami's selection despite BCCI selectors' push

Mohammed Shami is quietly slipping out of the Indian cricket picture. Despite proving his fitness and form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Mohammed Shami continues to be ignored for India selection by the selectors.

The senior Indian pacer was not picked in India’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa. He was not even picked in the India A squad for the three-match One Day series against South Africa A despite being in great form for Bengal this season.

Mohammed Shami overlooked for the South Africa Tests because of Gautam Gambhir

Shami showed flashes of his old brilliance and scalped 15 wickets for Bengal in three games so far in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26. Yet, the seasoned pace was overlooked as the team management experiments with a younger group of bowlers in the longest format of the game.

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According to reports in CricBlogger, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir is not too keen on bringing Mohammed Shami back into the Test setup right now. The reason behind this decision isn’t completely clear, but sources claimed that Gambhir wants to invest in a younger pace attack that can serve Indian cricket for years to come.

Selectors wanted to recall Mohammed Shami, but Gautam Gambhir blocks his comeback

However, the selectors wanted to recall Shami for the South Africa tests. Adding to the confusion is the fact that Shami’s Bengal teammate Akash Deep has been picked for the upcoming Test series against South Africa at home, even though the senior pacer’s experience and record make him a clear first-choice option for them.

Gambhir’s move has sparked plenty of debate among fans and former players who believe that someone of Shami’s stature deserves better treatment. Meanwhile, it is also being speculated that even Shami himself is uncertain about where he stands in the current setup.

The Bengal pacer has continued to train and perform, but the lack of communication and clarity around his future has left him frustrated. Well, Shami has decided to skip Bengal’s fourth match in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26 due to personal commitments.

Read Also: Mohammed Shami's retirement confirmed; announcement to be made public soon

Mohammed Shami faces a silent exit from Test cricket

Over the years, Shami has been one of India’s most lethal bowlers and is capable of dismantling top orders on any surface, especially in Test cricket. His ability to extract movement off the pitch and bowl fiery spells with the old ball made him a constant threat in both home and away conditions.

With Mohammed Siraj now firmly established as Jasprit Bumrah’s new-ball partner, the Indian team management is reportedly content with its current pace combination for Tests. However, if this truly is the end of the road for Shami in Tests, many felt he doesn’t deserve this silent exit.

The 34-year-old has so far represented India in 64 Tests, 108 ODIs, and 25 T20Is, taking 229, 206, and 27 wickets, respectively. Shami last played for India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in the UAE. His ordinary IPL 2025 season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).