Team India Pacer Mohammed Shami has come out to share some of the predicaments he has experienced on and off the field. The 33-year-old, the last time he played on the Indian team was the Champions Trophy 2025, has been training hard to reenter the world of international cricket.
Shami’s Exclusion from Recent Tours
Shami was not chosen to play in the five match Test series in England or the Asia Cup team despite speculations of his return. Previous announcements had even indicated that he could be part of the Australia tour but his name was not even included in that line-up.
The missing of the pacer has created debates on his future in the Indian team. Nevertheless, he does not stop training, but he remains performance-oriented, not selection-debate oriented.
Online Abuse After India-Pakistan Matches
Shami has not been spared of this criticism outside the pitch. The bowler faced the internet trolls after failing to do well against Pakistan. It is not his first time with it since after India lost to Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup, he received a heavy amount of hate on social media, some even referring to him as a traitor and anti-national.
In the first address ever on these experiences, Shami said, “I do not pay heed to such trolling. I have been given a job. I am not a machine. If I am working hard throughout the year, sometimes I will fail, sometimes succeed. It depends on the people how they take it. When you play for your country, you forget all such things. It becomes more important for you to take wickets and win matches. I do not want to go on social media at such a time. You see both positive and negative comments. When you are playing, you should stay away from such things.”
Shami’s Strong Message to Trolls
To combat the ever-increasing negativity on the internet, Shami emphasized that it is necessary to appreciate the efforts of players. “We work hard to get success. Trolls just have to type two lines. True fans will never do this. If you have an objection, raise it respectfully. If you think you can do better than me, please come and try. It is always open,” he said.
His words were an indication of the emotional strain cricketers experience when the personal attack takes precedence over performances in sport. To Shami, the abuse has served to remind him of how powerless athletes can be in the digital era.
Focus Remains on Cricket Comeback
The controversy notwithstanding, Shami is squarely focused on his future in cricket. The young bowler is still trying to be ready to get a chance to play against other countries again in the hope that he can silence critics by his performance in the field.
Although the discussion of bias and trolling is still alive, the ambition of Shami proves that his tale in Indian cricket is not that old. His strength and dedication is what keeps him going on his quest to have a national team comeback.
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