‘You have already made me the villain’: Mohammed Shami reacts to non-selection controversy after regaining rhythm in Ranji Trophy

Speaking after a haul of 5/38 powered Bengal to a 141-run win, Shami reacted to reporters by saying, “Yes, I knew this question would come. I’m always in controversy anyway. You people have already made me the villain! What else can I do or say? In today’s world, social media twists everything.

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“My job is to perform well. Wherever I get an opportunity, I’ll give my best. The rest is up to God. Bengal is my home. Every match I play for Bengal is like a memory for me.”

Shami was out for over a year’s action since the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad before making his return to represent India in the Champions Trophy. His last appearance for India was on March 9, 2025, in their victorious Champions Trophy final over New Zealand in Dubai.

“Coming out of a difficult phase and performing well gives a lot of satisfaction. The time after the World Cup was tough and painful. But then I played the Ranji Trophy, white-ball cricket, the IPL, and the Duleep Trophy. Now my rhythm is back to where it was before. I can clearly feel there’s still a lot of cricket left in me.”

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