The ball wasn't spinning much on the Kalyani pitch, but it swerved, and Mohammed Shami was waiting for exactly that. In the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy opener, the Bengal fast bowler dismantled the Delhi attack, claiming four wickets for just 30 runs while his side bowled the visitors out for a meager 240. It was a statement of intent, not just a performance. Bengal, choosing to bowl first, used the early movement to strangle Delhi’s top order before the surface flattened out.
Shami didn't just bowl; he hunted. He removed Yash Dhull early, then cleaned up Ayush Doseja and Divij Mehra. But the real dent came when he struck out Hrithik Shokeen, who had looked dangerous with 56 off 98 balls. With the top score capped in the fifties, Delhi’s chase of a total became a non-event. Akash Deep added two wickets for 74, and off-spinner Amir Ghani chipped in with three for 45, but Shami was the engine of that first-day collapse.
Back in the press conference, the 36-year-old addressed the elephant in the room: his continued absence from the national setup. He was recently left out of the T20I squad for New Zealand, a selection that also saw Bhuvneshwar Kumar return after a four-year gap. Shami’s reaction? Indifference. "People perhaps enjoy looking and passing comments more. They say the rhythm isn't there, that he doesn't look fit, or whatever else. It doesn't bother me," he said, his tone calm but firm. He emphasized that his job is to play cricket, wherever he is given the chance, leaving the selection decisions to the board.
Interestingly, Shami voiced support for Bhuvneshwar’s return, arguing that talent shouldn’t be sidelined for extended periods if a player is performing. "A person should keep going on hope alone," he noted, praising Bhuvi’s consistent IPL form. For Shami, the message is clear: the door isn’t locked, it’s just closed until he walks back through it with performances like Sunday’s.
Bengal now sits with a strong lead heading into the second day, their pace attack having made its presence felt immediately. For Shami, the next test isn’t just another Ranji match; it’s another audition for a national team that has yet to call him back.