Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes the Indian selectors and team management are signaling a shift away from veteran pacer Mohammed Shami. The 35-year-old fast bowler has been left out of the upcoming two-match home Test series against South Africa, starting on November 14.
Shami has struggled with injuries over the past few years and hasn’t played for India since the 2025 Champions Trophy, where he was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in India’s title-winning campaign. His last Test appearance came in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia.
Despite performing well in domestic cricket, Shami was overlooked for the India ‘A’ series against Australia A and South Africa A. Playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, he has appeared in three of four rounds in the 2025-26 season, picking up 15 wickets in five innings at an impressive average of 15.53.
Sharing his thoughts on Star Sports, as reported by The Times of India, Nayar said, “It’s a clear indicator. It’s an indicator that India is sort of trying to look forward. Right or wrong, it’s not for us to decide.”
India Selects Bumrah, Siraj, and Akash Deep for South Africa Series
For the two-Test series, India has opted for three frontline seamers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep. Akash Deep, who missed the previous West Indies Tests due to injury, returns to the setup and could feature at his home ground, Eden Gardens, in the first Test.
Nayar highlighted the advantage of playing in familiar conditions for Akash Deep. “Akash Deep, again, is a local lad who’s played a lot of cricket there, so he understands the conditions. He’s always delivered with the new ball whenever he’s got an opportunity. He’s really liked in the setup because he goes all out every time he gets a chance. So it’s a good investment in the future.”
Strong Indian Squad Offers Depth and Flexibility
The former assistant coach also praised the depth and balance of the current Indian squad. “Looking at that squad, an extremely strong squad, all facets of the game, in a lot of ways, you have surety. You can play around with different combinations. And the conditions may not matter as well because you’ve got enormous talent in that setup.”
With a mix of experience and emerging talent, India appears ready to take on South Africa with confidence while planning for the future of its pace attack.
