This Domestic Star Is Giving Shami Serious Competition for His India Spot

Mohammed Shami is giving his best to find his spot back in the Indian team. With Shami shining with both bat and ball, it still may not be enough to guarantee his comeback. A domestic player from Jammu & Kashmir has taken over the headlines with his impressive performances in the Ranji Trophy.

The dilemma of the Indian team selection has now been more intense than ever. Mohammed Shami was expected to make his Test comeback as soon as possible. His performances became even better while representing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, which might have opened the doors for his comeback.

But at the same time, the Indian veteran is also facing stiff competition. And it is from a young talent who plays for Jammu and Kashmir, Auqib Nabi. Ever since the tournament has started, he has impressed everyone with his bowling performances. Now with Nabi striking wickets well even in the knockouts, Shami's competition has gone intense.

Auqib Nabi’s Peak Ranji Season

Auqib Nabi seems to be having one of the finest editions in the Ranji Trophy by a bowler from Jammu and Kashmir. With his brilliant bowling performances, the team has also managed to take themselves to the semi-final stages of the tournament. Currently, the team is going against Bengal, where Shami and Nabi would be against each other.

In the first innings of the game against Bengal, Nabi bowled 26 overs and conceded just 87 runs. What was more exciting in his spell was the fact that he was able to take a fifer in the semi-final stages of the tournament. This also included the crucial wickets of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sudip Kumar Gharami.

Jammu and Kashmir went against Madhya Pradesh in the Quarter Final stages of the tournament. In the first innings of Madhya Pradesh, he was able to take a massive total of 7 wickets in his spell. This came out as one of the finest spells bowled by a player in the history of Ranji Trophy knockouts.

Later, Madhya Pradesh was given the target of 291 runs to chase to win the game. And this time again it was Auqib Nabi who dominated for his team with the ball. He was able to take 5 wickets in 24 overs, conceding just 70 runs. With 12 wickets in a crucial quarter final game, he helped Madhya Pradesh to reach the next stage of the tournament.

Nabi’s Ranji Trophy 2025/26 Runs

It is not just that Auqib Nabi is taking wickets only in the knockouts. He has also been able to consistently strike for them when needed. Whether they were having group stage games or knockout matches, one thing remained common, which was his dominance.

Auqib Nabi in Ranji Trophy 2025/26:

• Innings: 15
• Overs: 251.2
• Maidens: 51
• Wickets: 51
• Average: 13.01
• Economy: 2.64
• Five-wicket Hauls: 6

In just 15 innings, Auqib Nabi has been able to take 6 five-wicket hauls for Jammu and Kashmir. It should be noted that Jammu and Kashmir has never managed to win the Ranji Trophy even once. But with the performances of Auqib Nabi, it seems that they stand a chance to win the title this time.

Shami's Spot Gets a Challenge

While Auqib Nabi is trying his best to make it to the headlines, there is another player who is standing even before the current edition of Ranji Trophy started. And it is Mohammed Shami. While Shami has been a part of the Indian team in the Champions Trophy 2025, it has been almost a year since he was named in the squad across any format.

Mohammed Shami in International:

• Innings: 254
• Overs: 2891.5
• Maidens: 417
• Wickets: 462
• Average: 26.10
• Economy: 4.17
• Five-wicket Hauls: 12

Since then, Shami has been delivering his best in the domestic tournaments which might have opened the ways for him to make a comeback. With more than 200 wickets in the Test and ODI format each, it is still challenging for Shami to regain his place in the Indian cricket team.

The last time Shami featured in a Test game was during the World Test Championship final in 2023. While India ended up losing the game, Shami got consistent opportunities to play till the 2023 World Cup. After that, the majority of his 2024 got affected due to injuries but he made a return to the team before the Champions Trophy.

Mohammed Shami in Ranji Trophy 2025/26:

• Innings: 12
• Overs: 208.3
• Maidens: 44
• Wickets: 31
• Average: 17.96
• Economy: 2.67
• Five-wicket Hauls: 2

Now Shami is delivering his best with both bat and ball in the Ranji Trophy. Even in the quarter final clash against Andhra Pradesh, he was able to score a quick fifty, and grabbed the attention of selectors once again. It still remains to be seen who wins the ultimate selection battle between Nabi & Shami.