'You were good a year and a half ago but not now': Dale Steyn seals Mohammed Shami's fate despite 'begging' for him

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Shami last played for India at the Champions Trophy earlier this year. He has since been left out of India's ODI tour of Australia and the Test series in England, against the West Indies, and now South Africa. At 35, it's likely that Shami has played his last for India, and to make matters worse, even SRH look keen to release him ahead of the final retention list to be announced on Saturday. Shami still has pace and the fire, as his 15 wickets from three Ranji matches have proved. However, with age and fitness being key factors, Steyn wouldn’t be surprised if SRH lets him go.

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"When I was the bowling coach of SRH, I said 'please, can we somehow get Mohammed Shami?’ And the moment I wasn't the coach, they got him. I would be disappointed if they lost him. I think fitness and form play a key role when it comes to the IPL, especially with bowlers. You want bowlers to be fit, you want them to fire,” Steyn, a broadcaster with JioHotstar, told Anil Kumble during the lunch interval of the 1st India vs South Africa Test being played at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

Shami's woeful returns for SRH

Shami was bought for ₹10 crore at the IPL mega auction last year, but after an underwhelming season, which saw him finish with just six wickets from nine matches, Shami's time with the franchise seems to be up. SRH are likely to trade him, and in light of it, Steyn could foresee the conversation the decision-makers will have with Shami.

"And if Shami is fit and firing, he will make any team. But if he’s struggling – he’s had a couple of months off – some teams would say there are other players we would like to come into the team. You were good a year and a half ago, but not right now. So that release might happen. But yeah, three years ago, when I was there, I was begging for him," said the former South Africa pacer.

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