“There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them. At this level, if you aren’t self-motivated, your approach is wrong. Shami’s last Test appearance was even further back during the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval in 2023.
Mohammed Shami has not played for India since March 2025 but the veteran pacer on Thursday asserted that his motivation level has not dipped, and is still eyeing the “next level” in his career. No matter what stage you’re playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level,” Shami said after the Duleep Trophy final in which East Zone defeated South Zone on the basis of first innings lead.
East Zone has won this after a very long time. “As far as satisfaction goes, achieving this in my 100th match-and that too in a winning Duleep Trophy final-is special. You’ve seen how we performed. “Every single boy put his heart and soul into this campaign to get us here. To achieve this in these conditions, in this heat, is outstanding.
As for me, whether it’s your first match or your 100th, it doesn’t matter-the effort and the approach remain exactly the same,” he said.
Shami was delighted that East Zone’s title win coincided with his 100th first-class game. It helped East wrap their rival’s first innings for 336 and gain a match-defining lead of 372 runs.
Shami Emphasizes Team Responsibility and Youth Development
Mohammed Shami has expressed his commitment to making the most of every opportunity he gets to play, stating, “My mindset is simple: whichever level I get an opportunity to play, I want to make it count and fulfil my responsibility toward the team.”
Reflecting on the dynamics within the team, Shami highlighted the youthful exuberance of teammate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, noting, “The kid in our team is literally as old as my career. He has that youthful innocence, loves to joke around, and absorbs things quickly.”
Shami cautioned against interfering too much with young players’ mental approaches as they develop their game. He emphasized the importance of allowing them to mature naturally while stepping in with tactical guidance during challenging moments, saying, “But yes, when the game gets tight and challenging, that’s when you step in with tactical inputs and remind them to keep fighting.”
