Team India captain Shubman Gill acknowledged the difficulty of replacing the quality of Mohammed Shami, but emphasized the necessity of planning for the future by backing the current crop of pacers like Siraj, Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna.
November 13, 2025: As Team India prepares to take on the World Test Champions, South Africa, in the two-match Test series starting tomorrow at the Eden Gardens, skipper Shubman Gill was tasked with addressing the elephant in the room: the continued absence of veteran pace spearhead Mohammed Shami.
Shami, who has been battling a combination of injuries and form issues since his return to cricket earlier this year, was the most notable omission from the Test squad. Gill, while praising Shami’s irreplaceable quality, stressed that the team management and selectors must look toward the next generation of fast bowlers.
“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,” Gill told the media ahead of the first Test.
Focus on the Future Pace Attack
The Test captain admitted that missing a bowler of Shami’s caliber is “never easy,” but defended the team’s decision-making by highlighting the current pace depth, which now includes the likes of Bengal’s Akash Deep and the tall Prasidh Krishna, who recently impressed in the India ‘A’ setup.
The national selectors have reportedly chosen to focus on forming a stable pace-bowling attack for the next World Test Championship cycle, with concerns cited over Shami’s long-term fitness and rhythm.
“It’s never easy when someone like Shami bhai has to miss out, but at the same time, we have to plan ahead,” the skipper added, distancing himself from the ultimate selection responsibility. “As for fitness and selection matters, the selectors would be in a better position to give a clear answer on that.”
The two-Test series, featuring the return of Vice-Captain Rishabh Pant, begins on November 14 in Kolkata before moving to Guwahati for the second Test. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will lead the Indian pace attack.