‘Tension mat lijiye!’: After 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s recall, Suresh Raina predicts imminent Mohammed Shami comeback
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‘Tension mat lijiye!’: After 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s recall, Suresh Raina predicts imminent Mohammed Shami comeback originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Suresh Raina says Mohammed Shami could soon return after Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s recall at 36.
- Raina praised Bhuvneshwar’s discipline and fitness and backed Shami’s recent domestic form too.
- Shami’s IPL economy of 10 is a worry, while Bhuvneshwar took 28 wickets.
MORE: Mohammed Shami makes stance on his India future clear after Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s comeback
Mohammed Shami India return: Suresh Raina explains why fast bowler could follow Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Suresh Raina has told fans not to worry, saying Mohammed Shami could follow Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into India’s squad before long.
The former India batter made the remark after Bhuvneshwar, now 36, earned a surprise recall to the national side, and he believes Shami’s turn may be just around the corner.
Raina put his old teammate’s return down to hard work, discipline and a firm commitment to staying fit. He was speaking at the jersey launch of the Indian Soft Ball Cricket League, where he was asked about Bhuvneshwar’s comeback and what it says about the player.
“Making it to the Indian team at the age of 36 shows character. He has been a very disciplined bowler and a very process-driven guy who has worked really hard on his body," Raina said.
MORE:India squad for New Zealand T20I series 2026: Full team lists for NZ vs IND T20Is
Will Mohammed Shami return to the India team?
Raina was just as upbeat about Shami, whom he feels has done enough in domestic cricket to be back in the conversation. When asked whether Shami could be next, he answered with a smile and a bit of Hindi.
“Absolutely, I think he (Mohammed Shami) has done well and played good domestic cricket too. Now it is Bhuvi’s turn, aur Shami bhi aa rahe hai piche piche, tension mat lijiye (Shami is also right behind him, so don’t worry),” Raina added.
Shami last played for India at the 2025 Champions Trophy, and his most recent Test came in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia. Since then he has kept playing in the domestic game, and he is due to turn out for Bengal in their first match of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season on October 11 against Delhi.
MORE:Age no barrier: Why the India selectors handed Bhuvneshwar Kumar one last shot
Shami took 37 wickets in 7 matches for Bengal during the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season. His recent IPL record, however, has not helped his case. Across the 2025 and 2026 seasons, Shami has picked up only 18 wickets in 22 games, and he has leaked runs at around 10 per over.
When asked if his former Indian bowling partner's comeback has given him hope for his return to the national side, Shami made it clear that, for now, he was only concerned about his Ranji trophy match.
"Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the chance to play for India, and that’s good for him. But his selection doesn’t concern me. Wherever I get the chance to play, I will give my best," Shami said.
"Right now, my focus is firmly on this Ranji match. If I don’t get the chance to play for India again, it’s not my loss”.
Shami has done enough to earn his place back
Raina’s confidence in Mohammed Shami looks well placed once the numbers from the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy are taken into account. Shami picked up 37 wickets in only seven matches for Bengal, a haul that reflects skill and fitness in equal measure, and it is hard to find many fast bowlers in the country who can match that return over such a short stretch.
A bowler who takes more than five wickets a game in the longest format is making a strong case for a place in the national side, regardless of his age or his recent absence.
His IPL figures are the one weak spot, since 18 wickets in 22 games at an economy of around 10 an over is not impressive. However, the Indian Premier League is a different format with a different kind of demand, and a bowler’s value in red-ball cricket shouldn’t be judged by what happens when batters are swinging from the first ball.
The selectors can reasonably look at the Ranji performance for Test cricket, where Shami’s seam movement and accuracy have always been his biggest weapons.
His record in the 50-over format also deserves attention. Shami was the joint-highest wicket-taker at the 2025 Champions Trophy with nine wickets in five matches, and that tournament included the final, which turned out to be his most recent ODI. That is hardly the profile of a bowler in decline.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar earned his recall through consistent wickets, and Shami has produced his own evidence in domestic cricket. If he starts the 2026-27 Ranji season in similar form, the selectors will find it very difficult to look the other way.
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