Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has reckoned that the discarded Indian pacer Mohammed Shami should be a part of the Indian Test squad for the forthcoming two-Test tour of New Zealand.
Shami ended the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 campaign as the sixth-leading wicket-taker with 37 wickets. at an average of under 17. Shami, who last played for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2026, could pick up seven wickets from three games.
“I don’t know why Shami has been sidelined, to be honest with you. He has done extremely well in domestic cricket as well as international cricket. He is a very good bowler, and he should be an integral part of the Indian team. Shami should be in the Test squad for the New Zealand series. I don’t know why he is out of the team,” Vengsarkar said on RevSportz.
Shami last played international cricket in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand. Speaking to reporters after East Zone bagged a title win over South Zone in the grand finale at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Shami revealed his mindset of making his opportunities count.
“My job is simply to put in the hard work; the rest is in the hands of Allah,” Shami said.
“There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them. You can draw positivity from this ground or any ground you step onto. At this level, if you aren’t self-motivated, your approach is wrong. No matter what stage you’re playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level,” he added.
