Mohammad Shami's Surprising Return to Domestic Cricket Amid Retirement Rumors
Mohammad Shami, the experienced cricketer, made a surprising return to domestic cricket in the Duleep Trophy, representing the East Zone. Despite scoring a century, his bowling performance was disappointing, allowing North Zone to score heavily. Shami, who has been out of the Test team for a while, addressed retirement rumors in a recent interview, emphasizing his commitment to continue playing. This article explores Shami's recent performance and his thoughts on retirement, generating curiosity about his future in cricket.
Aug 29, 2025, 15:09 IST
Shami's Performance in the Duleep Trophy
Veteran cricketer Mohammad Shami, who has been sidelined from the Indian national team, made a notable return to domestic cricket by participating in the Duleep Trophy. He is representing the East Zone team in a match against the North Zone. In this game, Shami's bowling performance was unexpectedly underwhelming.
Despite scoring a century, Shami's contributions with the ball were disappointing, as he conceded runs at a high rate. In the first innings, he failed to impress, allowing North Zone to amass a substantial total of 405 runs, with Shami being responsible for 100 of those runs. The right-arm bowler bowled 23 overs but managed to take only one wicket, which is not the level of performance expected from him.
Shami has been absent from India's Test squad for an extended period. Although he was part of the Champions Trophy, he has struggled to make a comeback in Test cricket, largely due to injuries. His last match with the red ball before the Duleep Trophy was during the previous season's Ranji Trophy, where he played for Bengal. His most recent Test appearance for India was in the ICC World Test Championship 2023 final. He was also not selected for the tour of Australia and recently missed out on the England tour as well.
Amidst these developments, rumors regarding Shami's retirement surfaced, which he addressed in an interview with a news channel. He dismissed the speculation, stating, 'If anyone has a problem, they should let me know. Will my retirement improve their lives? Who am I blocking that they want to see me retire? Even if I'm not chosen, I will continue to work hard. If I can't play internationally, I will play domestically. I will find a way to play. Retirement is a consideration when one gets bored, and that is not the case for me right now.'