What Went Wrong for Mohammed Shami in IPL 2025?

Published on: May 7, 2025 12:09 pm IST|Updated on: May 7, 2025 12:09 pm IST

Mohammed Shami IPL 2025
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India’s veteran pacer Mohammed Shami hasn’t endured the best of IPL seasons. IPL 2025 has been a nightmarish one for the right-arm pacer. The 34-year-old, who was once a go-to bowler for Gujarat Titans in the last three seasons, has been far away from his best while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season.

Being one of their premier assets in the pace bowling department, Mohammad Shami was brought into the SRH setup with a massive price tag of INR 10 crore. His salary saw a rise of around 40% from the last season, but his form kept dipping game after game for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The biggest question here for all Shami and SRH fans here is, what went wrong for the star pacer? Let’s

What has led to Mohammed Shami’s downfall?

Shami’s numbers in IPL 2025 paint a blurry image. In nine matches this season, the right-arm pacer has managed to pick up only six wickets, averaging 56.17 with an economy rate of 11.2. These are his worst figures in IPL history, a stark contrast to his Purple Cap-winning season in 2023, where he bagged 28 wickets for the Gujarat Titans. His inability to contain runs and take wickets at crucial moments has significantly hurt SRH’s campaign, which has now turned into a disastrous one. Let’s examine a few factors that led to Shami’s downfall this season.

Struggles with Line and Length

One of Shami’s biggest strengths has always been his ability to bowl consistent lines and lengths, especially in the powerplay. In IPL 2023, he was a force to be reckoned with, picking up 17 wickets in the first six overs at an economy rate of 7.5. However, in IPL 2025, his powerplay bowling has been a major weakness, conceding runs at 10.3 per over while managing only five wickets.

Despite his seam position being the best among all bowlers this season, Shami’s deliveries have lacked the sharpness and movement that once made him a lethal weapon, allowing batters to dominate him with ease.

The Impact of Injury

Shami’s struggles could be attributed to the long injury layoff he endured before IPL 2025. After undergoing surgery in 2024, he made his comeback in the Champions Trophy, where he picked up 9 wickets in 5 matches. While he showed glimpses of his old self, the transition to T20 cricket has been far more challenging. His pace has dropped, and he no longer generates the same zip off the pitch that made him a nightmare for batters.

Former cricketers and analysts have pointed out that Shami’s rhythm and confidence seem to have taken a hit. Aakash Chopra, in a recent IPL-related discussion, mentioned that there is a serious question mark over Shami’s ability to bounce back, especially with India’s upcoming Test tour of England.

SRH’s Bowling Woes

Shami was expected to form a formidable pace duo with Pat Cummins, filling the void left by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. However, SRH’s bowling attack collectively has failed to deliver, with Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, and Harshal Patel also struggling to make an impact. The team’s inability to restrict opponents has been a major reason for their poor season, and Shami’s underwhelming performances have only added to their woes.

Gelling in the team environment

Team environment plays a vital role in a player’s success or failure. Shami is someone who bowls upfront and leads the pace attack of whichever team he plays for. However, that wasn’t the case with him this season with the presence of Pat Cummins as SRH skipper. Shami wasn’t the talking point in SRH’s bowling unit with Pat Cummins in the side. Shami often went unnoticed this season, which could be a reason for his downfall.

What’s Next for Shami?

With SRH already out of playoff contention, questions are being raised about Shami’s future in the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Will he be retained for IPL 2026? Will he continue playing T20 cricket, or will he shift his focus to longer formats? These are decisions that SRH and Shami himself will have to make in the coming months.

Despite his struggles, Shami remains a highly skilled bowler, and a strong domestic season could help him regain his form. He should now turn his focus on India’s upcoming 5-Test match tour to England, where he will be tuning up with Jasprit Bumrah. Shami and Bumrah will be the lynchpins of India’s bowling in the UK, and Shami’s seam movement will be well assisted by the conditions there.

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