“Once he gets his rhythm, he’s a different bowler” - Mohammed Shami’s childhood coach after his fifer in Ranji Trophy

Mohammed Shami’s childhood coach, Badruddin, has heaped praise on the veteran pacer after he scalped 15 wickets in two games in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season against Uttarakhand and Gujarat.

Speaking exclusively to The Indian Express, Badruddin has stated that Shami has got his rhythm back and looks 100% match fit. He went on to scalp an eight-wicket match haul against Gujarat, including a fifer in the fourth innings.

“His rhythm has returned and that happens when he is 100 percent match-fit. Rhythm is what matters when it comes to Shami. Once he gets his rhythm, he’s a different bowler. What I saw today was the Shami of old. I didn’t see anything missing. His seam position was good and he seemed to be enjoying bowling. Seam aisa chal raha tha ki pata hi nahi chalta batsmen ko ki kidhar chalega ball (seam position was so good that the batsmen didn’t know which way the ball would move),” Badruddin told The Indian Express.

On the other hand, Shami, who spoke with the media after the game, has emphasized that his motivation is to stay fit and be available for the Indian team every time. He also added that selection is not in his hands, but he will continue to do well in terms of his performances. 

“My motivation is to stay fit and be available for the Indian team at all times. I will continue to perform and the rest is in the selectors’ hands. It’s a relief. Mentally, physically, it feels very good, because you are coming back from such a difficult time (injury). The time after the (2023) World Cup was tough. But then I played the Ranji Trophy, white-ball cricket, the IPL, Champions Trophy and Duleep Trophy (earlier this year). Now my rhythm is back to where it was before. I can clearly feel there’s still a lot of cricket left in me,” Shami said.

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