Mohammed Shami Turns 100th First-Class Game Into Reminder of His Unfinished Cricketing Hunger

Mohammed Shami marked his 100th first-class appearance with a match-winning performance for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, but the milestone did little to diminish the fast bowler's hunger to keep competing at the highest level.

At 36, Shami remains determined to continue pushing himself and believes motivation comes from constantly looking towards the next challenge.

"No matter what stage you're playing at, your eyes must always be set on the next level," Shami said after the final day of the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai.

Shami last represented India in the 2025 Champions Trophy final and has not played a Test for the country since the 2023 World Test Championship final. His latest performance, however, showed that his bowling skills remain highly effective, particularly in demanding conditions.

"There are plenty of reasons to stay motivated if you look for them," Shami said. "You can take positivity from this ground or any ground you step onto. At this level, if you aren't self-motivated, your approach is wrong."

The veteran pacer also spoke about the importance of playing for the team and wearing the India badge with pride.

"I always say this: you play for the badge. When you wear that crest on your chest, the level of cricket doesn't matter," he said. "My mindset is simple: whichever level I get an opportunity to play, I want to make it count and fulfil my responsibility towards the team."

Shami Makes an Impact in Chepauk

Playing at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where conditions largely favoured the batters, Shami found ways to influence the game.

He generated conventional swing with the new ball and extracted reverse swing once the ball became older. His ability to hit the deck harder than South Zone's bowlers proved equally important.

Shami shared five wickets with Mukesh Kumar as East Zone bowled South Zone out for 336. The effort gave East a substantial first-innings advantage and ultimately played a decisive role in their title triumph.

Shami credited his ability to adapt and keep learning for his success.

"I'm always learning and I look to keep learning," he said. "In conditions like these, you can't expect much conventional swing, and the bounce was quite low. I trust my line and length completely, and that's where I try to create wickets from."

He also highlighted the importance of reverse swing in hot conditions.

"And honestly, if you can't exploit reverse-swing in this kind of heat, what's the point?" he said with a laugh.

Tactical Plan Behind Rasheed's Dismissal

One of Shami's most impressive moments came when he dismissed top-order batter Shaik Rasheed.

The fast bowler explained that the dismissal was the result of a deliberate plan rather than a moment of inspiration.

"If top-order batters are set, you cannot get them out without a plan. Wickets don't just happen out of nowhere, especially on pitches like this," Shami explained.

"The plan was to keep taking the ball away from him, build that expectation, and then reverse one back in sharply to trap him."

The wicket also produced one of the lighter moments of the match.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who briefly took over as captain when Ishan Kishan was off the field on day four, was so delighted with the dismissal that he jumped onto Shami and rode piggyback on the experienced fast bowler.

Shami Praises 15-Year-Old Sooryavanshi

Shami revealed that the 15-year-old frequently jokes around with him, but he sees the youngster's confidence and openness as positive qualities.

"He loves pulling my leg! I usually tease him back by saying he isn't even as old as my cricket career," Shami said.

"But he constantly banters with me, and that's great to see. Being able to open up, mingle freely, and build camaraderie will serve him well going forward."

Shami also believes that today's young cricketers require less traditional coaching because they are exposed to high-pressure environments at an early age through tournaments such as the IPL.

"Most of these youngsters are already quite mature. With the level of cricket they play today, in the IPL and other high-pressure tournaments, maturity comes early, so you don't need to over-coach them," he said.

However, the veteran added that experienced players and coaches still have an important role to play when matches enter decisive phases.

"When the game gets tight and challenging, that's when you step in with tactical inputs and remind them to keep fighting," Shami said.

For Shami, the 100th first-class game was therefore more than a landmark. It was another opportunity to compete, contribute and keep looking ahead — a mindset that suggests his cricketing journey is far from over.