Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has questioned the team management’s decision not to select Mohammed Shami, despite the pacer’s excellent domestic form. Shami, who last played for India in the 2025 Champions Trophy, has nine wickets in five games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, including a four-wicket haul.
Harbhajan was critical of the administration in that they could hardly come across quality bowlers when he was not around stating that today India lacks proven match-winners with the ball and this according to him should be rectified as early as possible. He has indicated that the negligence character of in-form bowlers like Shami would jeopardize the balance and performance of the team during the most crucial times.
“Where is Shami? I don’t know why Shami is not playing. I get it, you have Prasidh, he is a good bowler, but he still has a lot to learn. You had good bowlers, and you have slowly sidelined them. With Bumrah, this is a different bowling attack, and without Bumrah, it is an entirely different attack altogether. We have to learn the art of winning games without Jasprit Bumrah,” said Harbhajan on his YouTube channel.
“In England, without Bumrah, Siraj was unbelievable, fantastic. India won all the Tests where Bumrah did not feature. But, in shorter formats, we need to find people who can win you games, whether it be fast bowling or spin. Find spinners who can come in and take wickets. There is Kuldeep, but what about the rest?,” he added.
Harbhajan Singh also recommended the Indian team to give a thought or two about calling back mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy in the ODIs. He said this following India’s inability to defend 359 runs in the second One-Day International against South Africa at Raipur. The visitors levelled the three-match series, which concludes on Saturday in Visakhapatnam.
“Bring in Varun Chakaravarthy in ODIs as well, you already have him in T20Is, so try him in ODIs also,” Harbhajan said.
During the first ODI in Ranchi, all the three pacers, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, yielded over six runs per over. It was even worse in the second ODI when Rana only achieved seven runs per over but Prasidh did not hold any water, grievously destroying the overall defence of India.
