Why did Mohammed Shami Miss Out On Test Series in England? Reason Revealed

The Indian Cricket Team had a decent outing on their tour to England as they ended up drawing the series 2-2. Led by Shubman Gill, the young side did a fabulous job with the bat and ball, ensuring they countered the high-pressure situations.
It's fair to say that India had an upper hand for the majority of the series, but England managed to clinch the tough phases. Had the Shubman Gill-led side not succumbed to pressure, they could've easily won the series to solidify their reputation as one of the best cricket teams in the world.
The bowling was a concern for them in the series, and with Jasprit Bumrah playing just three games, the inexperience of other bowlers was visible. There's no doubt that the Indian side missed the services of Mohammed Shami, and had the pacer been there, things could surely have been different.
Mohammed Shami has been one of the biggest match-winners for India in the tests. Since the last decade, he has been carrying the Indian bowling lineup and has won his team many games both at home as well as in away.

Why Did Mohammed Shami Miss England Series?

When the Indian squad for the England tour was announced, Mohammed Shami's name not being there raised many eyebrows. It was speculated that the fast bowler had been dropped from the team, especially after he struggled to get going in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
However, days after the Test series against England concluded, it was learned that Mohammed Shami wasn't dropped, but his fitness issues didn't allow him to play. As per the reports in the Telegraph, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee were keen to send him to England, especially after knowing that Bumrah would play three games.
But, Mohammed Shami himself said that he's not sure about his fitness and is not ready for the England series. This prompted the selectors to be cautious, and they went ahead with Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna along with three experienced pacers in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep.

A source close to the developments confirmed the same, saying that Shami's presence was important after the horrible Australia tour for the team. The fast bowler didn't give any assurance about his fitness.

First of all, he wasn’t dropped because of form. Fitness issues are the only reason why he couldn’t travel to England,” the BCCI official said. “After missing the last tour of Australia, his presence was much needed for the England series. The selectors had also spoken to him before finalising the squad, but he didn’t sound too confident. That much-needed assurance from him was missing.” This was the primary reason why fans saw Mohammed Shami miss England series. His absence was huge as Shami ranks among the best Indian bowlers across formats.

Mohammed Shami Comeback Likely in the Duleep Trophy 2025

Mohammed Shami has been battling injury issues since the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. He played the tournament in pain, taking injections and after that underwent surgery on his ankle. He was out of action for more than a year, and as he was about to make his comeback, he suffered a knee injury.
This kept him out for a while, and he finally made his comeback earlier this year during the England T20I series. He was part of the Indian team that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but he lacked rhythm. He looked torrid in the Indian Premier League as well.
After the IPL concluded, he has been focusing on his fitness. The reports in the Telegraph also confirmed that he will be making a return through the Duleep Trophy 2025. Fans could potentially witness a Mohammed Shami comeback when the tournament starts from 28th August in Bengaluru.