LUCKNOW: When BCCI announced its annual retainership contracts in February, Mohammed Shami’s name was missing. If anything, that was a sign the board had decided to look toward younger talent.
But the pacer, who last played T20Is for India in February 2025 — his last India outing was in the ODI Champions Trophy triumph in March last year — has made a slow but steady recovery from a knee injury that looked like it had all but ended his career. The first signs appeared during a Ranji Trophy season in which he took 37 wickets at an average of 16.72 for Bengal. More importantly, he bowled 230.3 overs during the tournament.
In terms of fitness, he had clearly taken a significant step forward. It got him into the conversation again but to truly grab the attention of the national selectors, he will now need to step it up in the Indian Premier League as well.
In that sense, he’ll be in a good space at the Lucknow Super Giants. Even though he represents Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, his connection with Uttar Pradesh is strong. He comes from Amroha in the western part of the state and though he was rejected during his early trials, he has a big fan base.
Shami’s four-wicket haul, where he conceded only 22 runs against England, helped India secure a 100-run win in the 2023 ICC World Cup. This is the most recent memory for his fans in Lucknow who will see him don the LSG jersey this season.
On his first day at the nets on Tuesday, many fans waited for hours at the gate of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium to catch a glimpse of him. An Instagram post by LSG in which Shami said “milte hain Ekana main” added much fuel to his fans’ enthusiasm.
At the age of 35, the pacer, traded from Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹10 crore, is expected to exploit the conditions here in Lucknow when LSG begin their campaign against Delhi Capitals on April 1. His immaculate seam position makes him a danger with the new ball.
Shami has been absent from Team India’s T20 squad for a while but he will be an important cog in LSG’s game plan for the season.
Interestingly, Shami brings 133 IPL wickets of experience to LSG’s attack. His Powerplay prowess suits Ekana’s seam-friendly pitches, promising early breakthroughs. Besides this, his ability to take wickets with both the new and old ball makes him a valuable asset.
LSG head coach Justin Langer was excited enough to have Shami in the side after the bowler was traded before the auction.
“Mohammed Shami is a real competitor and a warrior. There has been a lot of talk about him. As a past coach against him, you knew the team was always in the fight if Shami was playing,” Langer had said.
The Australian coach said Shami’s experience and energy make him valuable, but managing his body across the season will be key. Langer also spoke about Shami’s character and resilience. “He is probably one of the best team players and the best people I have met in cricket. His energy is unbelievable.”
And LSG will be hoping that this is precisely the kind of energy that will push them forward this season.
