Mohammad Shami’s IPL 2025 campaign was a letdown. In 9 matches, he managed just 6 wickets and failed to curb the run flow, conceding 337 runs at an economy rate of 11.23. This was a far cry from his 2023 performance, where he won the Purple Cap. Despite this poor form, Shami has the backing of his coach at Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The team’s head coach, Daniel Vettori, defended Shami after their final league stage match against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 25. Hyderabad posted a massive 278, thanks to Heinrich Klaasen’s record ton, and restricted Kolkata to 168. Vettori said Shami needs time to adjust to T20 cricket after a long absence.
Shami hasn’t played T20 cricket in a while, so it’s taking him time to get back into the rhythm. He was the Purple Cap winner for Gujarat Titans, but that was 18 months ago, and things have moved quickly since then. Vettori believes Shami is at his best when bowling at his optimum length, but he hasn’t quite been at that level this season. This is partly due to his long absence from the team.
Despite a subpar season, Vettori is confident Shami can bounce back. He’s a fantastic bowler who has put in the hard work to return to form. Shami has played for five different teams in the IPL, including Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi, and Kolkata, and has taken 133 wickets in 119 matches. Currently, he’s not fully fit, which is why he wasn’t included in India’s Test squad for the England tour.