A quarter of an hour of batting, followed by a spell of around four overs of intense bowling. That’s how Shami warmed up at the Eden on Tuesday, readying himself for the challenge that lies ahead in the form of Uttarakhand in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy opener that begins on Wednesday.
But before he tests himself and the rival batters, Shami fired a bouncer at chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
Agarkar recently said he had “no update” on the senior pacer when queried about the possibilities of his India comeback. To that, Shami replied: “It’s not just my responsibility to give an update or ask for an update. It’s not my job to provide updates on my fitness.
“My job is to go to the NCA (BCCI Centre of Excellence), prepare and play matches. Woh unki baat hai unko kaun update deta hai ya kisne nahin diya (It’s up to him as to who updates him or who doesn’t) ... It’s not my responsibility,” Shami retorted after Bengal’s training session.
The chief selector’s comment had obviously irked Shami. On Tuesday, it seemed as if he was waiting for that question to be asked.
Shami even indicated how unhappy he is over not being considered for the ODI series in Australia.
“I have said this before, that selection is not in my hands. Also, if there is a fitness issue, I shouldn’t be here (for Ranji) as well. As I’ve said before, if I can play four-day games, I can also play 50-over cricket,” the 35-year-old said, going into his second red-ball appearance this season following the Duleep Trophy game for East Zone in August.
In the present circumstances, the chances of his international comeback are slim.
But, if he fares well against Uttarakhand and Gujarat,
it may not be easy for Agarkar and Co. to keep Shami out
of discussion when finalising India’s squad for the South Africa Tests next month.
For Shami, though, the priority is to take it “step by step.” “After the (ankle and knee) injury, I got to play some matches, which was good for me. If I get to play here (in Ranji), that too would be good for me.
“As for not playing for a long time, I did feature in the Champions Trophy (early this year), the IPL and the Duleep Trophy. And after those, I’ve been practising regularly.
“So, it’s not like I’m out of touch. We’ll play matches only when we get them,” he
explained.
Talking about his expectations of a comeback to the Indian team, Shami clearly said he’s ready to play whenever the selectors want him to. “Cricket is such a game where you cannot have the same flow and performance 24x7.
‘The performance in the 2023 (ODI) World Cup was of a different level. After that, I had an injury, so I didn’t want to play through pain and make the team suffer.
“However, I also wanted to return after the (ankle) surgery and make a strong comeback. I’m still trying to do the same and am ready to go whenever they (selectors) want me to.”
“All I have to do is keep fighting, keep playing games... If you perform well, it will benefit you. Simple... Again, selection is not in my hands as I can only prepare and play matches. But yes, I’ve no objection… You don’t select me, I will come here and play for Bengal. I’ve no issue with it,” Shami added.
In Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s words, Shami looks fitter this season. “Last year, there was a bit of limp noticed as he went about his job. This time, that limp isn’t there, which is a very good sign,” Shukla said.
On his part, Shami feels comfortable when running with the ball and is eager to play “as many matches as possible” this season.