Chennai, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
East Zone captain Ishan Kishan believes veteran pacer Mohammed Shami still has the hunger and motivation to make a comeback to the Indian team, pointing to the intensity and energy he has shown during the domestic season.
Shami, 36, has not played an international match since India’s Champions Trophy triumph in early 2025 and has not been included in the national squads despite continuing to perform in domestic cricket across formats.
Ishan, who is leading Shami in the Duleep Trophy, said age should not be a barrier as long as the fast bowler continues to work hard and deliver on the field.
“I feel age is just a number,” Ishan said on the eve of the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone.
“If he is working hard, it doesn’t matter – he has been doing so well. Having him in our team, it gives us a bit more confidence when you have such bowlers in your team who can get you wickets and especially looking at Shami bhai this season, his intensity, his energy has been very different,” he added.
Ishan also highlighted Shami’s continued motivation to perform for domestic teams despite currently being outside the national selectors’ plans.
He said maintaining the same level of motivation for domestic cricket can be difficult when a player has been away from the Indian team for an extended period, but added that Shami’s determination to return remains evident.
“It has been three years since that (2023) World Cup (when he was in excellent form); it is hard when you are not regularly playing for Indian team and to again have that same kind of motivation for your domestic games, it is tough. But I feel I see that hunger in him,” Ishan said.
He added that Shami appeared keen to return to the Indian squad and was also actively helping him with suggestions while playing under his captaincy.
Shami has enjoyed a productive domestic season. He took 37 wickets in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy at an average of 16.72, finishing as Bengal’s second-highest wicket-taker.
In the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he was Bengal’s leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets from seven innings. He also topped Bengal’s wicket-taking charts in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, claiming 15 wickets in seven innings.
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