Team India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has quashed speculation regarding his stepping away from Test cricket ahead of the team's much anticipated Test tour of England. The 34-year-old has made it very clear to BCCI about his commitment to playing for India ahead of the team's new start to World Test Championship Cycle (WTC), which is set to begin on June 20.
The squad selection for the England tour has already created a lot of buzz, with Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, which is set to be announced tentatively on May 23. A media report claimed that Shami might also follow the footsteps of Rohit and Kohli by announcing retirement from Tests ahead of the England series.
However, Mohammed Shami has strongly quashed the claims in a post on Instagram, rubbishing the rumor as baseless. The fast bowler has not featured in Tests since WTC Final in June 2023 against Australia.
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Will Mohammed Shami be selected to play for the England series?
Since coming back from a knee injury, Shami has struggled for form and rhythm. The 34-year-old -year has also not been at his absolute best in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season. The pacer has taken only six wickets in nine matches at an economy rate above 11 runs per over while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Shami not being at his menacing best is a cause of concern for India, as the five-match Test series against England is crucial in starting the new WTC on a promising note. However, despite a massive dip in his form, the fast bowler might be selected for England tour considering the huge amount of experience he carries. The veteran player's inclusion will even be crucial now, since the retirements of Rohit and Kohli.
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Apart from Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur are front runners to be picked as other pacers in the India tour of England.
