Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had a lot of expectations when they signed Mohammed Shami during the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction in December 2024. SRH had all the right to have lofty expectations from one of India's premier pacers, as he has also proven to be a game-changer in the IPL over the years. However, in the IPL 2025 season, Shami has not performed like he always does and has cut a sorry figure. Cricketer-turned-expert Aakash Chopra stated that "Shami is not looking good" right now.
With India set to tour England for a five-match Test series in June 2025, Chopra is concerned about the SRH pacer's form and fitness.
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Currently, Mohammed Shami has just six wickets from the nine games that he has played at a dismal average of 56.17 and an economy rate of 11.23. The pacer's dismal form has coincided with SRH's form this season, as they have won just three games.
"That's a big question there, no, because it's not like he came back from an injury last week or last month. He started playing domestic cricket last year, and this is May already," Chopra said. "He's played an ICC event [Champions Trophy] in between. He's played a lot of games. If he's still off the boil, and that has something to do with the injury - and we're all assuming that it is - then there is a serious question mark with regard to what happens next.
"Of course, [SRH] is one story. The other is the tour of England. All of us were harping about the fact that [at the] Border-Gavaskar Trophy, [Jasprit] Bumrah was alone, there was no Shami, and if there was Shami how things would have been different. But will there be Shami [in England] is the question. And what kind of Shami?
Also Read: IPL 2025: Shubman Gill elaborates on the animated umpire exchange after controversial DRS call
SRH's playoff hopes hanging by a thread after the loss to GT
Speaking about SRH, they are only mathematically in for a chance to qualify for the playoffs. With only six points from 10 games, SRH is almost out of the playoff race. They not only need to win all four games, but they need to do so by big margins.
