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Mohammed Shami Snubs Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP]
In a recent interview, Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami named his favourite coach, and it wasn’t Gautam Gambhir. This comes amid his long hiatus from international cricket due to fitness issues.
Shami, who last played for India in the Champions Trophy 2025, has been struggling to make a comeback due to recurring injury issues. Despite his domestic performances, the management led by Gambhir continues to ignore him.
Mohammed Shami chooses Ravi Shastri as his favourite coach
Amid this, during an interview with Times Now, Mohammed Shami was asked to choose his favourite among India's recent head coaches, including Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, and Ravi Shastri.
While admitting that comparisons are difficult, the pacer said Shastri's coaching style stood out because of the confidence and freedom he gave players.
"It's a bit difficult to compare... I haven't played much under Gauti bhai. I've spent a good amount of time with Rahul bhai and Anil bhai. But if I have to choose one out of these four, I would choose Ravi bhai. Because of that freedom... that aggression you see in a player when they go out to fight and play a match, you can see that from the outside [with his coaching]," Shami said.
Shami also credited Shastri for fostering a fearless environment where players were encouraged to express themselves without hesitation, a philosophy that helped India become one of the most competitive teams across formats.
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Why did Shami ignore Gambhir?
Interestingly, the fact that Mohammed Shami has not played much under Gautam Gambhir is true. After recovering from the heel injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup, the pacer made a comeback in the Champions Trophy 2025.
But once again, Shami got repeatedly injured. But even when he was performing consistently in domestic cricket, chief selector Ajit Agarkar maintained his stance that Shami hasn’t proved his fitness.
Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir both believe that Mohammed Shami is not ready to bowl at full throttle and that they want to try out young options ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Mohammed Shami regrets personal injuries
If not for repetitive injuries, Mohammed Shami’s career would have turned out differently. And the fast bowler agrees to this narrative as he revealed his biggest regret in life.
According to the veteran seamer, those missed opportunities due to injuries could have elevated his World Cup records even further.
"Sometimes I feel that when I look at the whole picture of the World Cups... the matches I missed in ICC events come to my mind. I was thinking, man, if I had played these, I would be sitting right at the very top."
With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, it’s difficult for Mohammed Shami to find a place back in the national setup. According to reports, the management already appears to have moved on from him as young stars remain in focus.
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