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Former India National Cricket Team opener Wasim Jaffer, in a YouTube video, said Mohammed Shami deserved to be with the Indian cricket team after delivering back-to-back strong matches in domestic seasons across various tournaments and formats.
Mohammed Shami, the out-of-favour experienced fast bowler who featured in the recently played 2026 Duleep Trophy final for the East Zone, caught fans' attention again as he took wickets to help win the match. Ishan Kishan's double hundred was the major talking point of the match, but Wasim Jaffer tried to highlight the effort put in by Shami.
Unfortunately, Mohammed Shami is still having to prove himself: Wasim Jaffer
On his YouTube channel, Wasim Jaffer said that it was disappointing for him to see a bowler like Mohammed Shami have to toil hard to prove himself again, after all of those great matches for India and then in the recent domestic matches. Like many cricket fans, Jaffer himself wished to see Shami back with the Men in Blue again. However, everything depends on what the selectors think.
"Shami bowled really well, and I saw how he set the batters up. Unfortunately, he is still having to prove himself even now. I don't know what to say. We have to wait till the team for the New Zealand series is picked and see what the selectors think. It is very unfortunate as there are very few like him with that craft. It hurts that players like him are not in the team," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Mohammed Shami bowled well across Duleep Trophy 2026 matches
Shami claimed seven wickets from three matches at an average of 26.57 in the Duleep Trophy 2026. He last played for the Indian cricket team in 2025 during the Champions Trophy final, and his last Test match was in 2023.
In the previous few months, the selectors showed their trust in young bowlers who did well either in the Indian Premier League or in the domestic season for their respective states. But they never turned their heads towards Mohammed Shami. Injury was a massive setback in Shami's career, which affected his career in bad ways.
Wasim Jaffer asks Jasprit Bumrah to play as many matches as possible
Team India is scheduled to play Afghanistan from September 13, and then they will move to Japan for the Asian Games. Ahead of the Asian Games, Jasprit Bumrah is set to make his return for the team after a long injury layoff. Wasim Jaffer said that to regain match fitness and form, Jasprit Bumrah needs to play as many matches as possible now.
"I think playing some cricket is also important for Bumrah. The team will go to the Asian Games from here, so there has to be some cricket under his belt. If he goes there directly, you will not have much margin, as it is a high-pressure tournament with every game being important," Wasim Jaffer said.
"I feel that is why they picked him. He has not played for a while now, and I am sure he would want to play as well. Even the New Zealand series is coming up. If he is fit, he should play. He has not played for a while, so this is a good decision," he added.
