Mohammed Shami turned 36 last week and has been out of the national selectors’ radar for the past 18 months. However, the veteran fast bowler insists that his hunger to play and take the field remains as strong as ever after helping East Zone beat South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai.
On a placid Chepauk surface, Shami produced a disciplined bowling performance, finishing with 2/42 from 16 overs after East Zone posted a mammoth 708 in their first innings. The Bengal pacer made excellent use of reverse swing to trap Shaik Rasheed in front before dismissing R Smaran, putting South Zone under further pressure.
“I always say this: you play for the badge. When you wear that crest on your chest, the level of cricket doesn’t matter. If you play for the badge, that hunger will naturally show. Your willingness to fight only grows when you play with that pride. My mindset is simple: whichever level I get an opportunity to play, I want to make it count and fulfil my responsibility towards the team,” Shami said after the final.
Shami has not played a Test since the World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023, while his last international appearance in any format came in the Champions Trophy final in March 2025. Despite the extended absence from international cricket, the fast bowler said his motivation has not diminished.
“There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them. You can draw positivity from this ground or any ground you step onto. At this level, if you aren’t self-motivated, your approach is wrong. No matter what stage you’re playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level,” he said.
The Duleep Trophy final was also a significant milestone for Shami as it marked his 100th first-class appearance, with 64 of those coming in Tests. The veteran pacer said he continues to learn and adapt, especially when bowling in conditions that offer little assistance to fast bowlers.
“I’m always learning — that’s the right word. I constantly strive to keep learning. In conditions like these, you can’t expect much conventional swing, and the bounce was quite low. In Bengaluru, the conditions favoured the bowlers far more, so coming here was a stark contrast. But that doesn’t mean you stray from your basics,” Shami said.
“My approach was strictly about sticking to my line and length. I trust my line and length completely, and that’s where I try to create wickets from. And honestly, if you can’t exploit reverse swing in this kind of heat, what’s the point?” he added.
With years of international experience behind him, Shami has also taken on the role of mentor for younger players. During the final, he even shared a few words of advice with Mohammed Siraj, who was playing for the opposition and endured a demanding outing with the ball.
“Whenever I interact with guys I’ve played with or share a good bond with, I focus on their skill. In the first innings, Siraj wasn’t quite finding his natural rhythm compared to how he bowled later. I just reminded him that to get back on top, he needed to return to his core strengths. When your run-up and rhythm are in sync, your line and length fall into place automatically. That’s all we were talking about,” Shami said.
Shami was also pleased to be part of East Zone’s first Duleep Trophy title in 14 years, especially as the victory came in his 100th first-class match. However, he insisted that the milestone did not change his approach to the game.
“As far as satisfaction goes, achieving this in my 100th match — and that too in a winning Duleep Trophy final — is special. East Zone has won this after a very long time. Every single boy put his heart and soul into this campaign to get us here. To achieve this in these conditions, in this heat, is outstanding,” he said.
“As for me, whether it’s your first match or your 100th, it doesn’t matter — the effort and the approach remain exactly the same,” Shami added.
