The end of an era? Shami left out of West Indies series as India look ahead

Synopsis

Chris Woakes' courageous act despite injury contrasts sharply with his subsequent Ashes squad exclusion, mirroring a similar situation for India's Mohammed Shami. Despite his proven skill and dedication, Shami's recent absence from the squad raises questions about his future. While India embraces young pacers, Shami's invaluable contributions remain etched in cricketing memory.

In early August, Chris Woakes, who had dislocated his shoulder, walked out to bat with his arm in a sling. He was even ready to take strike in a left-hander’s stance because England needed just 17 more runs to win the fifth Test against India.

Mercifully, Woakes did not have to face a ball. But the act of simply being out there, running between the wickets despite grimacing in pain, was unforgettable. India went on to clinch a narrow win, but Woakes’s courage made the cricketing world pause.

Cut to the end of September: England’s Ashes squad was announced. Rob Key, the director of cricket, bluntly said that Woakes “isn’t in our plans at the minute… at all.” At 36, Woakes was nearing the twilight of his career, but the decision still stung.

A similar fate now seems to be unfolding for India’s Mohammed Shami. Ajit Agarkar, India’s chairman of selectors, wasn’t as blunt as Key, but Shami’s absence from the squad for the two home Tests against the West Indies suggested the same reality.

Shami, who has battled injuries throughout his career, is once again on the recovery trail. He turned up in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, claiming 7 wickets against Madhya Pradesh, and also featured in the Duleep Trophy. But this wasn’t enough for a recall.

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“He played a match in the Duleep Trophy, but he’s not had a lot of cricket for the past 2-3 years,” Agarkar said, adding that while everyone knows Shami’s ability, “he will need to play some cricket” before being considered again.

At 34, almost the same age as Woakes, Shami has picked up 229 wickets from 64 Tests. Yet, it now looks increasingly unlikely that he will get the chance to add to that tally.

What made Shami special was not a single trademark delivery — no extravagant outswinger, brutal bouncer, or deadly yorker — but the subtle millimetres of movement and razor-sharp precision. At his best, he was poetry in motion: light on his feet, devastating in rhythm, and relentless in accuracy. He read conditions better than most, adjusted seamlessly to the match situation, and set batsmen up with clinical patience.

For any captain, Shami was priceless. If the pitch had something to offer, he would extract it. If a partnership was building, he would plug one end. He didn’t bowl to impress; he bowled to take wickets, visualising dismissals before they happened.

And yet, cricket is as much about transition as it is about legacy. Injuries are part of the game, and the rise of young, hungry pacers is inevitable. India now boast a strong fast-bowling bench. The only way for these youngsters to grow is by playing regularly, though sharing the new ball with Shami would have been the ultimate learning experience.

For now, the selectors have moved on. Whether Shami gets another chance remains uncertain, but his contribution as one of India’s most dependable pacers is already etched in memory.

India Squad for West Indies Series

Shubman Gill (c), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Narayan Jagadeesan (wk), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

1st Test: Oct 2–6, Ahmedabad

2nd Test: Oct 10–14, New Delhi

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