India vs New Zealand: India’s selection committee has once again decided to move forward without veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, leaving him out of the 15-member squad announced for the upcoming One-Day International series against New Zealand. The squad, confirmed by the BCCI on Saturday, December 3, features the return of Mohammed Siraj, who is expected to shoulder the leadership role in the pace department.
With senior stars Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya given a rest ahead of a packed international calendar, the New Zealand series seemed like a potential opening for Shami — particularly given his form and experience. Instead, the selectors opted for a younger pace lineup, signaling a continued shift toward building bench strength and long-term depth.
Shami had quietly built momentum in domestic cricket, putting in significant effort for Bengal through the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season. He collected an impressive 20 wickets in just four matches, helping his side stay competitive in crucial phases of the competition. His workload then continued across the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he once again delivered respectable numbers.
In the SMAT, Shami claimed 16 wickets across seven matches at an average of 14.93 — one of the standout bowling performances of the tournament despite Bengal’s underwhelming campaign. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he chipped in with nine wickets from five matches, playing a key role in keeping Bengal in contention and contributing directly to multiple victories.
Despite these performances, a national comeback remains elusive. Shami last donned the India jersey during the triumphant Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, where he finished as one of the joint-highest wicket-takers with nine dismissals. Since then, recurring selection calls have gone against him, with India instead exploring rotating fast-bowling options across tours of England, Australia, and South Africa.
Sources close to the bowler had expressed quiet optimism ahead of the New Zealand squad announcement, noting his fitness, experience, and proven ability in pressure situations. However, the selectors have continued to prioritise a mix of current form and future planning. Siraj now steps up as pace spearhead, supported by Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh — a group that offers different skill sets across phases of the innings.
The move also reflects India’s broader white-ball strategy: spreading responsibility while managing work-loads of frontline stars before major ICC tournaments. While Shami’s omission may spark debate among fans and former players alike, the selectors appear focused on giving younger seamers more game time against top-tier opposition.
For Shami, the road back remains open — but challenging. Consistency, fitness management, and opportunities in domestic and franchise cricket will likely shape any future return. At 35, his experience remains invaluable, yet India’s evolving bowling roadmap suggests fierce competition ahead.
As the New Zealand ODIs draw near, all eyes will now be on how the restructured pace attack performs — and whether the door for Shami eventually swings open once again.
India Squad for New Zealand ODI Series
Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.