Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has expressed his disappointment over the veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami not being part of the national setup despite his exceptional performances in domestic cricket.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jaffer stated that he was hurt that the discarded pacer still needs to prove himself to be a part of the national team. Shami, who played for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2026, could pick seven wickets in three Tests.
“Shami bowled really well and I saw how he set the batters up. It is unfortunate that he is still having to prove himself even now. I don’t know what to say. We have to wait till the team for the New Zealand series is picked and see what the selectors think. It is very unfortunate as there are very few like him with that craft. It hurts that players like him are not in the team,” Jaffer said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Shami last played international cricket in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand. Further, Jaffer reckoned that picking the ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the three-match Afghanistan series is a right call.
“I think playing some cricket is also important for Bumrah. The team will go to the Asian Games from here, so there has to be some cricket under his belt. If he goes there directly, you will not have much margin, as it is a high-pressure tournament with every game being important. I feel that is why they picked him. He has not played for a while now and I am sure he would want to play as well. Even the New Zealand series is coming up. If he is fit, he should play. He has not played for a while, so this is a good decision,” he said.
