Shams Mulani: ‘My job is to perform, selection will take its own course’

Srinagar: Shams Mulani has been one of the most consistent performers on the domestic circuit over the last four seasons and he has numbers to prove it: 170 wickets and 1,248 runs in Ranji Trophy. But when it comes to rewarding the left-arm spinner, he sits down the pecking order. Despite enjoying a fruitful 2024-25 season where he took 44 wickets—third best in the most wickets list — and scored 365 runs, he was overlooked for the multi-day games against Australia ‘A’ last month. No wonder then the Mumbai lad is disappointed but he would rather let his skills do the talking than go on cribbing about it. On Thursday, he showed what he is made of when he scored a patient 161-ball 91 to play a crucial role in Mumbai reaching 386 on Day Two of their Ranji match against Jammu & Kashmir.Since the 2021-22 Ranji season, Mulani has been consistent in both departments. That season he topped the wicket-taking chart besides scoring 321 runs. In 2022-23, he was the second highest wicket-taker with 46 scalps and 209 runs. The 28-year-old continued his good work in 2023-24 with 34 wickets and 353 runs. Mulani, though, doesn’t want to get into the debate of why he has been ignored and is focused on this season even if it means starting from the scratch, deleting what he has done in the past. “In my mind, my job is to keep performing. In cricket you can get that chance any moment and I must be ready for that. I keep improving myself so that I’m ready when I step up. For last four-five months I have been working on upgrading my skills. After that whatever happens, happens but I shouldn’t fall short on effort,” Mulani said. Throughout his career Mulani has proved his doubters wrong. When he made his Mumbai debut in a T20 match in 2017-18 season, he was primarily considered as a white-ball specialist. He made his Ranji debut the next season but wasn’t that impressive. But his fighting spirit and never give up attitude meant he went back to the drawing board to improve his red ball game, and the results were there to see. In 2019-20 he picked up 26 wickets and since then has emerged as Mumbai’s premier spinner in red-ball cricket as well. In his career, he has seen it all—the ups and downs — so he doesn’t get upset when he is not picked. “Throughout my career, I’ve come across people who felt I didn’t have it in me to keep performing well. So, my mindset has always been to prove people wrong and that starts with me itself. When I had just made it to the Mumbai team, there was a perception that I’m a white-ball bowler. Then I changed my mindset, improved my red-ball skills, broke into the Mumbai Ranji team and did well,” said Mulani of his mindset to cope with setbacks. Patience is key, he feels as a player’s job is to perform and move on. “When you deliver, at the back of your mind you always think of getting selected. But then you look at someone like Sarfaraz Khan, who got an opportunity after performing over a long period. So, I keep his example in front of me and keep telling myself to keep performing. the chance will come, when it has to come but for that I can’t keep thinking that I have done so much and I should get an opportunity,” explained Mulani.He added: “In cricket there are no guarantees. Somehow, I didn’t fit in the India ‘A’ side this time but there is always a next time. Whichever the competition…Ranji, Duleep…I need to keep showing that I’m performing and helping the team win.” In an era where even domestic teams depend on video analysis to unravel the secrets, it’s not easy to stay on top over a longer period without evolving. Mulani says every bowler must keep adding new weapons to his repertoire to be a step ahead of the opponents.

So how does he go about it? “I sit down with my coaches and analyse where I performed better, how can it be improved further. What are my weak spots, how can it be improved? How can you tweak your plan midway through the game if a batter is playing you well? The idea is to think on your feet and outsmart them. If you have multiple options up your sleeves, it will help you in the long run. Using you head out there helps and I thrive on that,” said Mulani.Mulani has once again got a good start to the season and will continue to knock on the door until that call comes.