AB de Villiers thinks India may have moved on from one of the heroes of the 2023 World Cup | Cricket News
India pacer Mohammed Shami, who last played in the Champions Trophy and emerged as the country’s joint highest wicket-taker alongside Varun Chakravarthy, has been left out of India’s upcoming white-ball tour to Australia starting October 19, 2025. South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has suggested that Team India appears to have moved on from the 35-year-old fast bowler, who has been dealing with recurring ankle and knee injuries since the 2023 World Cup.Shami‘s last Test appearance for India came in June 2023 during the World Test Championship final against Australia. Following that, he underwent surgery to address his injuries sustained during the 2023 World Cup campaign.Despite being sidelined from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia due to knee issues, Shami made a strong comeback in the Champions Trophy in March 2025, delivering impressive performances for the Indian team.
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Do you agree with AB de Villiers’ assessment that Team India has moved on from Mohammed Shami?
The experienced pacer has recently returned to domestic cricket but hasn’t found his way back into the national team setup.“It is a big call from Team India. It feels like, in a certain way, they’ve moved on from him. I don’t know the behind the scenes story, if there maybe a couple of niggles he’s still carrying. Maybe he lost a yard of pace and he doesn’t quite have that zip that he used to. Those could all play a part. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for him,” de Villiers stated on his YouTube channel.The former South African captain specifically pointed out observations about Shami’s bowling speed in recent times.“If he can still find that extra yard of pace, as that is one thing I picked up – He lost a little bit of pace recently and maybe that is the reason why he is not in the national team anymore,” de Villiers noted.De Villiers, who expressed his admiration for the Indian fast bowler, remained hopeful about Shami’s potential return to international cricket.“He’s a wonderful bowler. Always asks questions of the batters. He’s a wicket-to-wicket bowler and a great asset to have in the team if he’s in form, fit and raring to go. Obviously, it is very disappointing not to see him there as he’s a very entertaining performer for Team India,” the South African great commented.The non-selection of Shami for the Australian tour marks a significant period of absence from the national team for the veteran fast bowler, who has been a key figure in India’s bowling attack across all formats of the game.The upcoming white-ball series against Australia represents another major international assignment where India will compete without the services of the experienced pacer, who has been an integral part of the team’s success in recent years.Shami’s current focus remains on domestic cricket as he works towards regaining full fitness and potentially making a case for his return to the national team through consistent performances at the domestic level.The decision to leave out Shami from the touring party to Australia indicates a possible shift in India’s bowling strategy, with the team management possibly looking at younger alternatives for the fast bowling department.
