Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President and the current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President, Sourav Ganguly, has urged the India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir to recall the veteran pacer Mohammed Shami to the Test squad.
Sourav Ganguly said that Mohammed Shami deserves a place in the Indian Test team after all he has done for the side over the years and reckoned that the right-arm quick can still win matches on his own.
It was not the best Test wicket, but unfortunately India lost – Sourav Ganguly
India lost the Test series opener against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata inside three days as the pitch produced for the game supported the bowlers excessively, and batters had a horrible time.
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The home team got a small target of 124 runs to chase in the final innings, but they were unable to pull it off and got bundled out for a mere 93 runs, resulting in a 30-run loss.
Speaking after the match, the Cricket Association of Bengal President, Sourav Ganguly, said that the pitch produced for the game was not a good one.
Ganguly also revealed that the India head coach Gautam Gambhir had asked for such a surface, and the Eden Gardens pitch curator simply agreed to his demands.
“There is no controversy. It was not the best Test wicket, but unfortunately, India lost. And they still should have gotten 120. It wasn’t the greatest of Test pitches. Gambhir said they wanted such a pitch and that they themselves instructed the curator,” Ganguly told India Today.
“Yes, that is true — instructions were given, and I’ll just repeat what I said earlier. I am very fond of Gautam; he has done well for India in England, in ODIs, in T20 cricket. We will continue for a while, but we must play on good pitches,”
I think Shami deserves a place in this Test team – Sourav Ganguly
Mohammed Shami has not played for Team India since featuring in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The selectors have seemingly moved on from him and have denied selecting him in any of the squads despite the pacer performing well in domestic cricket.
In the first three Ranji Trophy games for Bengal in the ongoing season, he ended up with 15 wickets at an average of 15.53 and a strike rate of 37.2. Despite that, he wasn’t considered for selection and even had a war of words with chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir hand a recall to Mohammed Shami and added that he can win Test matches for India.
“He must have faith in Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami. I think Shami deserves a place in this Test team. Shami and the spinners will win Test matches for him,” said Sourav Ganguly in a chat with Sports Tak. “Win Test matches in five days, not three days,” Ganguly added.
Disappointing to see India’s batting against spin – S Badrinath
Seeing the struggles of the Indian batters against the spinners in the first Test against South Africa, former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter S Badrinath was left disappointed.
“Disappointing to see India’s batting against spin decline while visiting spinners keep improving with every tour, the complete opposite of how it used to be. #SAvIND #CricItWithBadri #TeamIndia,” the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star wrote on X.
Disappointing to see India’s batting against spin decline while visiting spinners keep improving with every tour, the complete opposite of how it used to be.#SAvIND #CricItWithBadri #TeamIndia
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) November 16, 2025
Also Read: ‘India deserved to lose after preparing that Eden Gardens pitch’: Michael Vaughan goes brutal
