‘You were good year and a half ago’: Dale Steyn’s no-nonsense verdict on Mohammed Shami’s IPL and India future

Dale Steyn gives his take on Mohammed Shami's future. (Photo: X and ICC)

In between the ongoing debate about BCCI's selection call on Mohammed Shami, Dale Steyn has given a blunt verdict. The former South Africa pacer who was at one point the bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad revealed he wanted Shami desperately in his side but his request was not entertained as he expected. Steyn however has also said that Shami's time has passed following the string of injuries and the future is not so bright for the veteran pacer.

Shami's last ODI game for India was at the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Since then, he has left out of India's ODI series against Australia and the Test series against England away home, against the West Indies, and now South Africa Tests as well at home.

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At the age of 35, it looks like Shami has already played his last match for India and things will look more worse if SRH release him ahead of the final retention list.

Talking about his performance, Shami is still showing promise in the Ranji Trophy. He has 15 wickets from three Ranji matches so far.

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"When I was the bowling coach of SRH, I said 'please, can we somehow get Mohammed Shami?’ And the moment I wasn't the coach, they got him. I would be disappointed if they lost him. I think fitness and form play a key role when it comes to the IPL, especially with bowlers. You want bowlers to be fit, you want them to fire,” Steyn told Anil Kumble during the lunch of India vs South Africa 1st Test which is being played at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

"And if Shami is fit and firing, he will make any team. But if he’s struggling – he’s had a couple of months off – some teams would say there are other players we would like to come into the team. You were good a year and a half ago, but not right now. So that release might happen. But yeah, three years ago, when I was there, I was begging for him," said the former South Africa pacer.