Mohammed Shami's IPL resurgence masks fading India prospects

Key facts

• Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan have combined for 16 wickets in LSG's IPL 2026 campaign.
• Shami returned figures of 2 for 9, including 18 dot balls, in LSG's win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
• He took only 6 wickets in 9 matches for SRH in IPL 2025, with an economy rate of 11.23.
• Shami underwent ankle surgery after the 2023 World Cup and spent over a year sidelined.
• He took a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in the 2025 Champions Trophy but has not played for India since.
• In the Duleep Trophy, Shami managed a match haul of 1/136 from 34 overs for East Zone.
• Mohsin Khan, mentored by Shami, took 5 for 23 against Kolkata Knight Riders after recovering from shoulder and calf injuries.
• Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed Shami's desire to play in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season.

A tale of two comebacks in Lucknow

Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan have combined to take 16 wickets for Lucknow Super Giants in a faltering IPL 2026 campaign, offering rare bright spots in a season that has left the franchise languishing near the bottom of the points table. Both fast bowlers have overcome career-threatening injuries to reach this point, but their trajectories now diverge sharply. Shami, 35, returned from ankle surgery that kept him out for over a year after the 2023 ODI World Cup. Mohsin, his protégé, suffered a shoulder injury in 2022 that nearly cost him his hand, followed by a calf injury last year that made even walking a challenge. A year later, Mohsin claimed Lucknow's first five-wicket haul of the season — 5 for 23 against Kolkata Knight Riders — after a maiden over against Rajasthan Royals.

Shami's mentorship and Mohsin's breakthrough

Much of Mohsin's resurgence is credited to Shami, whom he calls his “big brother” and mentor. “It had been almost 14-15 months since the operation. Shami bhai helped me a lot there. I would use all his equipment. He supported me a lot,” an emotional Mohsin said after his five-wicket haul. Shami recalled Mohsin's fear upon returning from surgery: “When he came, it was a very difficult time. He was so afraid that he couldn't even walk or run. I asked him, ‘What are you afraid of?’ He said ‘I just got my crutches removed, so I am not getting the confidence to jog comfortably.’” Shami spoke to the doctors and reassured Mohsin, letting him progress at his own pace. Within three to four days, Mohsin was catching and jogging again.

Shami's IPL form: a flicker of the old fire

Shami's own performances have been decisive for Lucknow. In a crucial win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, he returned figures of 2 for 9, bowling 18 dot balls and dismissing the dangerous duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma cheaply. He credited domestic cricket and peak fitness for keeping him match-ready. “If you want to play, it's important to be in touch with the game. If you're fit only then can you work on your skills,” he said. But Shami acknowledged that his season has been uneven. “I am not a machine. My season can go up and down. I have performed well in the last few years. People have not noticed, that's different. But I always try to do well,” he told reporters. The pitch in Lucknow was slow and sticky, he explained, making line length and pace variation critical. “It was very important to turn off the pace. And it was very important that they get as little elevation as possible.”

The national selectors' growing doubts

Despite his IPL exploits, Shami's chances of an international comeback are diminishing. India chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar recently said he had no update on Shami and that the bowler would need to play a certain number of matches to remain in contention. A BCCI official was more blunt: “At this moment, it's getting increasingly tougher for Shami to return to the Indian team. In the Duleep game too, he wasn't too impressive, barring one odd spell.” In the Duleep Trophy, representing East Zone in Bengaluru, Shami managed a match haul of 1/136 from 34 overs. The official added, “Besides, he isn't getting any younger, while pace-wise, too, he didn't seem to be at his best in Duleep. But to continue in the IPL, he has to play a decent amount of domestic games.” Shami has not played for India since the 2025 Champions Trophy, where he took a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in a group match — a performance that now appears an aberration.

Domestic cricket: a path forward or a dead end?

Shami is keen to represent his domestic team Bengal in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed: “I had spoken to Shami six-seven days back, and he had expressed his desire to play. So, on our front, we're optimistic as far as his availability (in the Ranji opener) is concerned.” Shami himself emphasised the importance of domestic cricket. “That's why I kept in touch with the game and played all the domestic games,” he said after his match-winning spell against Sunrisers. But with India's pace attack increasingly embracing younger bowlers, and selectors demanding sustained domestic performances, Shami's road back to the national team appears steep.

A legacy etched, a future uncertain

At his peak during the 2023 ODI World Cup, Shami finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker, tearing through batting orders despite battling an ankle issue that reportedly required painkilling injections. That performance helped India march unbeaten into the final. But since then, injury, fitness concerns, and form have conspired to derail his international career. Now 35, Shami finds himself in a paradoxical position: performing well enough in the IPL to be a match-winner for Lucknow, yet unable to convince selectors he can still operate at the highest level. His mentorship of Mohsin Khan has yielded dividends for his franchise, but his own future in India blue remains clouded. As the IPL season winds down, Shami's immediate focus will be on the Ranji Trophy — a competition that may offer his last, best chance to force his way back into the national reckoning.

The bottom line

• Shami and Mohsin Khan have taken 16 wickets together for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026, with Mohsin outshining Shami (9 vs 7 wickets).
• Shami's IPL form has been uneven: a match-winning 2 for 9 against Sunrisers Hyderabad followed a poor 2025 season (6 wickets in 9 matches, economy 11.23).
• India selectors have expressed doubts about Shami's pace and fitness after a lackluster Duleep Trophy performance (1/136 from 34 overs).
• Shami's international career has stalled since the 2025 Champions Trophy; he has not played for India since that tournament.
• He plans to play for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, but selectors have indicated he needs a sustained run of domestic matches to stay in contention.
• Shami's mentorship helped Mohsin Khan recover from shoulder and calf injuries, leading to a five-wicket haul in IPL 2026.