NEW DELHI: Veteran Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has given a strong and defiant answer to growing rumors that he is going to retire, making it clear that he has no plans to stop playing anytime soon. In a recent interview with News24, the 34-year-old pacer said that he will make the decision to retire on his own and that it will only happen when he “gets bored” with the game.
Shami’s statements come at a time when there is a lot of question surrounding his future with the Indian team. He was not picked for the Test team for the recent series against England and was also not picked for the T20I squad for the forthcoming Asia Cup. This has led to a lot of discussion, especially since Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin recently retired and Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have left several formats.
Shami faced the rumors head-on and asked his critics directly. “If someone has a problem, let me know. If my retiring would make their life better, let me know. Tell me whose life I’ve become a rock in that you want me to stop working? He said, “I’ll leave when I get bored.”
He said that he is committed to the game, no matter what. “You don’t choose me, but I’ll keep working hard. If you don’t pick me for the international team, I’ll play for the domestic team. “I’ll keep playing somewhere or another,” he said, showing how dedicated he is to his work.
A long-held personal goal also drives Shami’s determination. He said that his biggest goal is still to win the ODI World Cup, which India came so near to winning in 2023. “I have only one dream left: to win the ODI World Cup.” “I want to be on that team and play well enough to win the ODI World Cup and bring it home,” he said, admitting that the team was scared during the elimination stage even though they had been doing so well.
Mohammed Shami is still a key player for Indian cricket, with a long and successful career that includes more than 450 international wickets. His public remark is a strong reminder that he is not done with the game and is ready to battle for his spot on the squad, even though things have not gone his way lately.