"With Gautam Gambhir At The Helm, It Was Going To Be Hard For Mohammed Shami": Ex-India Star's Explosive Take

Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan expressed disappointment over the manner in which Mohammed Shami's Test career ended following his retirement from the longest format, saying the gifted fast bowler deserved a more respectful farewell in recognition of his contributions to Indian cricket. Shami on Friday announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to his 13-year journey in the longest format of the game on the very same day he made his Test debut – November 6, 2013. 

Shami represented India in 64 Test matches, claiming 229 wickets in 122 innings at an average of 27.71 and an economy rate of 3.30. His best bowling figures were 6/56, while he registered 12 four-wicket hauls and six five-wicket hauls.

Reacting to Shami's retirement, Wassan, while speaking to ANI, praised the pacer's talent, resilience and performances across the world, expressing sadness over the way his Test career ended despite his efforts to make a comeback through domestic cricket.

“I think he's wonderful. What a story, coming from where he did and with his bad knees, and just performing the way he has done all over the world. Such a pure, gifted, and talented bowler. Just breaks my heart to see him go the way he has gone. He was trying; he was doing the hard yards; he was playing the Ranji Trophy, doing well, and just hoping that his tale could also end as a fairytale like Bhuvneshwar Kumar,” he said.

Shami last featured in a Test match during the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 final against Australia. He claimed figures of 2-122 and 2-39 in the Test that India lost by 209 runs.

Despite impressive performances in domestic cricket, Shami could not secure a Test comeback, with many hoping he would receive an opportunity similar to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who earned a recall after consistent IPL performances.

Wassan said there is a bias against age in Indian cricket and felt that India could have utilised Shami for another couple of seasons, considering his recovery from injuries, while giving him a fairytale ending to his Test career.

“There's somehow a bias against age in India. If India needed, they could have extracted a couple of seasons out of him, and the way he has come back from injury and everything, and just to give him a fairytale ending also,” he said.

Wassan felt that Indian cricket lacks respect and grace towards senior players, suggesting Shami's comeback prospects were limited under head coach Gautam Gambhir, while expressing sadness over the end of the pacer's Test career.

“And I think Indian cricket lacks that kind of grace and kind of niceness where somebody who has done so well, somebody who's giving you the services, and just to let him go at his kind of pace and the way he wants. Something which gives some respect. And I think it was clear that with Gautam Gambhir at the helm, it was going to be hard for Shami. And he tried his best, but in the end, you know, age catches up. You can't carry on. And sad to see him go, but long live the king; the king is dead,” he said.

Wassan acknowledged the selectors' need to groom young fast bowlers ahead of the World Cup but stressed that experienced players like Shami deserved due respect and could still be considered for major tournaments.

“On the other side, I can feel for the selectors also because they've got such a pool of bowlers. They also need to groom these bowlers. They need to see that they go out, start doing well, even at the cost of some of them failing, that we keep the wheel moving along. I'm sure the Indian think tank wants to try out the new bowlers before the World Cup is due, but somebody of that vintage—Mohammed Shami—they need to be given some kind of respect, where we might just have to go back to them closer to the big events,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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