'...Who Would Refuse Them?': Mohammed Shami Shares Honest View On His IPL Future With Gujarat Titans

Mohammed Shami remains unsure whether he will be retained by Gujarat Titans ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The veteran fast bowler was signed by the Gujarat-based franchise at the 2022 auction for a value of Rs. 6.5 crore. Shami spearheaded the Gujarat pace attack in his first two seasons, finishing with 20 and 28 wickets. He, however, was unavailable during the 2024 IPL due to an ankle injury. The 34-year-old speedster recently opened up about his future in the franchise competition during a chat with SportsTak.

Every IPL franchise must confirm its retention list by October 31. Gujarat Titans, however, have not yet shared their plans with Shami, who continues to recover from that leg injury. If the franchise chooses to release him, the Indian star will be put into the mega auction.

“I don’t know anything about this. The decision lies firmly with the franchise. If they feel the need to retain me, then they will. Otherwise, they won’t. I haven’t had any word with them so far, but if they do give the option, then who would refuse them?” Shami told SportsTak.

Mohammed Shami made his IPL debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2013 edition. He has featured in 110 matches in the T20 competitions to fetch a total of 127 wickets.

Shami now hopes to recapture his place in the Indian Test squad ahead of the high-profile Border Gavaskar Trophy, scheduled for November. During the interview, Shami revealed that he wanted to play some domestic matches to regain fitness before the Australia tour.

“My knee is very good right now. I am also scared that the leg has been operated upon before, and because of the dryness, I try not to put much workload on it. If I stay fit, I want to play domestic cricket, I want to spend time on the ground. If you play quality cricket, then you would do just fine in international cricket, as well,” Shami explained.

Shami was last seen in action during the 2023 ODI World Cup. He also featured in the final where Australia beat India by six wickets to claim the coveted title.