Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Mohammed Shami after LSG registered a five-wicket win against SRH. Shami returned with outstanding figures of 2-9 in his quota of four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. The fast bowler bamboozled SRH openers – Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head – with slower deliveries.
Shami was traded to LSG ahead of IPL 2026 mini auction after he was bought for INR 10 crore by SRH in the mega auction. The fast bowler has performed consistently in the domestic circuit for Bengal but he has been continuously ignored by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel.
Shami didn’t have a great run in IPL 2025, taking six wickets in nine matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad at an average of 56.16 and a high economy rate of 11.23.
However, Shami scalped 37 wickets in seven Ranji Trophy matches of the previous season at an average of 16.73 and played a key role in taking Bengal to the semifinal of the tournament. Chopra said it is high time that media and fans give credit to Shami, as he often goes under the radar.
“Are we giving Mohammad Shami enough credit, and when will we actually give him credit? It’s a big question. Why are we not celebrating him? I am the same person who was saying that the selectors have to choose, and if they are not selecting, they might have seen him, his fitness, and whatever,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“I had also said that everyone has to stand up and take notice if he does it in the IPL. Then you cannot say that the opposing team’s standard wasn’t that good. This is the most competitive league in the world. In such a scenario, he bowled four overs for just nine runs and two wickets, including 18 dot balls, in an afternoon game against the SunRisers Hyderabad,” he observed.
Chopra hailed Shami for dismissing Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma when the pitch didn’t have much assistance for the seamers.
“He dismissed Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. You have got to celebrate because these are once-in-an-IPL analysis. Where will you get such analysis again? I know Jacob Duffy bowled very well in the first match, but this was an afternoon game. There is no help at all for fast bowlers in an afternoon game, and there was no help for him as well,” Chopra elaborated.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will next take on Punjab Kings at New Chandigarh on Saturday.
