Shubman Gill Hints At End Of Mohammed Shami's India Career Ahead Of SA Series: 'We Have To Plan Ahead...'

India vs South Africa 1st Test: Shubman Gill reacted to the continuous debate around Mohammed Shami's absence from the Indian team for a while ahead of the first Test against South Africa, which is scheduled to be played from November 14 to 18 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Shami was not included in the squad for the two-match home series against the Proteas.

While the veteran pacer continues to shine in the Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal, Gill said it's always a tough call to look beyond someone as skilful as Shami. "There aren’t many bowlers of Shami bhai’s quality. But when you look at the performances of others — guys like Akash Deep and Prasidh — and also what Siraj and Bumrah have done for us, it becomes a tough call," he said.

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"It’s never easy when someone like Shami bhai has to miss out, but at the same time, we have to plan ahead," the Indian Test skipper added. "As for fitness and selection matters, the selectors would be in a better position to give a clear answer on that," Gill said.

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Shami's last international appearance for India came during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which the Men in Blue won under Rohit Sharma's captaincy.

Across two matches this Ranji Trophy season, Shami has bagged 15 wickets, including a five-for against Gujarat and a destructive 3-for-4 burst that dismantled Uttarakhand. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was among the first to call out the selectors. "There's no reason why Shami can't keep playing Tests, One-Dayers and T20s for India," Ganguly said last week. "He's fit, bowling beautifully, and still among the best with the red ball."

There has been a lot said from Shami and the BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar over the right-arm pacer's exclusion from the Indian setup over the past few months. Agarkar cited workload management and long-term planning as key factors in Shami's omission from the South Africa series. For Agarkar's panel, balancing experience with future-proofing remains a tricky call, especially with the rise of younger pacers like Akash Deep.

Shami's record against South Africa, though, speaks volumes. In their last Test series, he picked up 14 wickets in three matches, including a match-winning effort at Centurion that showcased his seam and reverse-swing mastery.

He has represented India in 64 Tests and has taken 229 wickets at an average of 27.71 on the back of 6 five-wicket hauls.