India’s 36-year-old fast bowler Mohammed Shami has once again proved that age has not reduced his hunger for cricket at all. Mohammed Shami played a key role in East Zone’s Duleep Trophy 2026 triumph in Chennai, making his 100th first-class match even more memorable and special.
Despite not playing for India since the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final and having not featured in a Test match since the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final, Shami still wants to keep competing and improving. The senior pacer has stressed that he still has plenty to offer.
The conditions at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium were tough for fast bowlers, with the pitch helping batters and offering low bounce. Still, Shami found a way to make an impact. He used conventional swing with the new ball and reverse swing when the ball became old.
Shami also bowled with more pace and hit the pitch harder than South Zone’s bowlers. He shared five wickets with Mukesh Kumar as they bowled South Zone out for 336 runs.
Their effort gave East Zone a huge first-innings lead and played a big part in their title-winning campaign. Amid this, Team India travels without security escort in Delhi ahead of 1st T20I vs Afghanistan.
Play for the badge: Mohammed Shami sends strong message after Duleep Trophy triumph
Mohammed Shami stressed that a player should always stay motivated and look for positive things from every match. He believes the level of cricket does not matter when a player is wearing the team badge, as pride in representing the team should keep the hunger alive.
Shami said after the final, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, "There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them. You can take positivity from this ground or any ground you step onto. At this level, if you aren't self-motivated, your approach is wrong. No matter what stage you're playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level.”
The veteran pacer also made it clear that whenever he gets an opportunity to play, he wants to give his best and take responsibility for his team. Shami added, “I always say this: you play for the badge. When you wear that crest on your chest, the level of cricket doesn't matter.
If you play for the badge, that hunger will naturally show. Your willingness to fight only grows when you play with that pride. My mindset is simple: whichever level I get an opportunity to play, I want to make it count and fulfill my responsibility towards the team.”
Mohammed Shami reveals his simple formula to pick wickets in tough conditions
Speaking about his simple approach, Shami focused on his line and length and looked for ways to create chances even when the conditions were not helping him. The pacer also stressed the importance of reverse swing in the hot Chennai conditions.
Shami signed off by saying, “I'm always learning, and I look to keep learning. In conditions like these, you can't expect much conventional swing, and the bounce was quite low. I trust my line and length completely, and that's where I try to create wickets from. And honestly, if you can't exploit reverse-swing in this kind of heat, what's the point (laughs)?”
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