The latest round of India’s squad selections has left little room for Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with neither veteran fast bowler finding a place in the white-ball teams for the upcoming West Indies series.
India will play three ODIs and five T20Is against the West Indies, with the selectors opting for a mix of established names and younger options. Shubman Gill will lead the ODI side, which includes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Shreyas Iyer will captain the T20I team. Auqib Nabi and Naman Dhir have received maiden ODI call-ups, while Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav have been included in the T20I squad.
The omissions of Shami and Bhuvneshwar have raised questions because both have remained active at the domestic and franchise levels. Bhuvneshwar picked up 28 wickets for IPL 2026 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Shami has continued to play domestic cricket and recently completed 100 first-class appearances during the Duleep Trophy final.
For former India opener Aakash Chopra, however, the latest selections indicate that the selectors may have moved on from the two experienced pacers.
“The writing is on the wall when you look at things from Shami and Bhuvi’s perspective,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. He pointed out that Bhuvneshwar could have been considered for the T20Is and Shami for the ODIs, yet neither featured in either squad.
Chopra also highlighted the emergence of younger options. The inclusion of Auqib Nabi in the ODI squad and Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav in the T20I setup, he said, made the absence of the two veterans more significant.
Shami, meanwhile, has continued to underline his motivation through his performances in domestic cricket. His 100th first-class appearance came in the Duleep Trophy final for East Zone, 14 years after he was part of the same team’s maiden title-winning campaign. East Zone went on to win the 2026 final against South Zone.
Reflecting on the milestone, Shami described 100 first-class matches as a dream achieved through years of sacrifice and travel. He also spoke about the significance of representing his state, playing in different conditions and continuing to take wickets.
The latest selection means Shami’s international future remains uncertain, while Bhuvneshwar has also been outside India’s setup for several years. Bhuvneshwar last played for India in 2022, while Shami’s most recent international appearance came in 2025.
For two bowlers with long international careers, the message from India’s latest squad selection is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
