Mohammed Shami Overlooked Again for India Team Despite Bhuvneshwar Kumar's Recall

Mohammed Shami has been excluded once again from India's cricket squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour, despite strong performances in domestic cricket. The 36-year-old fast bowler has been overlooked for the ODI, Test, and T20I formats, with selectors expressing doubts about his fitness and ability to bowl long spells at the international level. In contrast, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, also 36, has been recalled to the T20I squad, raising questions about the decision. Shami has impressive career statistics including 229 Test wickets and 206 ODI wickets, but since his last international appearance in March 2025, he has not been selected, even with a strong showing in the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy. Concerns about his fitness and workload capacity appear to have led selectors to favor younger fast bowlers.