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Mohammed Shami was missing from Bengal’s playing XI for their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match against Services, which began at Palam A Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Revsportz reported that the senior fast bowler had been expected to spearhead Bengal’s pace attack and had taken part in the team’s training session on Saturday, but did not feature when the side was named.
The reason for his absence was not officially confirmed in the available reporting. Revsportz said Shami was understood to have been rested, while sources close to the team management believed the decision had been taken by the player himself. Those accounts should be treated as reported explanations rather than an official statement from Bengal’s team management.
Shami’s omission was notable because Bengal were without fellow frontline fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, who were unavailable while on India A duty, according to Revsportz’s preview of the fixture. The same outlet reported that Mohammed Kaif and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal were named in the playing XI, while all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed returned after missing Bengal’s opening match against Delhi.
The match against Services is part of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy Elite competition and is scheduled for October 18 to 21 at the Airforce Complex Ground, Palam, in New Delhi, according to the BCCI match centre. Shami’s absence therefore became an important talking point as Bengal began their second fixture of the campaign without one of their most experienced domestic bowlers.
The fast bowler had made an immediate impact in Bengal’s opening match against Delhi at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani. On October 11, he returned figures of four wickets for 30 runs from 17.3 overs, bowling nine maidens as Delhi were dismissed for 240 on the first day. India Today and The Indian Express both reported the four-wicket performance and Shami’s comments about questions surrounding his fitness.
Bengal went on to win that match by nine wickets. Delhi were bowled out for 277 in their second innings, leaving Bengal a target of 89, which the team reached at one wicket down. The result gave Bengal a positive start to the domestic season and made Shami’s absence from the next fixture more conspicuous, particularly with other established quicks unavailable.
Shami’s domestic performances have been closely watched amid continued discussion about his prospects of returning to India’s national side. After his display against Delhi, he told reporters that they could assess his fitness by watching him on the field and said his job was to keep bowling and playing wherever he had an opportunity. India Today reported those remarks on October 12, following his four-wicket haul.
The Indian Express also reported that Shami began the 2026-27 Ranji season with four wickets against Delhi and that questions about his rhythm and fitness had followed him. His absence from the Services match does not, by itself, establish an injury or a fresh fitness setback; the reports available for this fixture described him as absent and relayed differing understandings about whether he had been rested or made the decision himself.
Bengal entered the contest on the back of their nine-wicket victory over Delhi, but the bowling combination had changed for the second round. With Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar unavailable and Shami also outside the XI, the opportunities for other bowlers to take responsibility increased. Kaif and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal were among the players included, while Shahbaz Ahmed’s return added another option to the side.
The key point to watch is whether Bengal provide an official explanation for Shami’s absence and how their attack performs over the course of the four-day match. Until the team confirms the reason, claims about a rest or a player-led decision remain attributed reports, not established medical or disciplinary information.
For domestic cricket followers, the episode is another reminder of how closely Bengal’s Ranji campaign and Shami’s workload are being monitored. His first-match figures showed that he remained effective in a long-format spell, but his availability for this fixture should not be taken as proof of any particular injury status or international-selection decision.
