Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2nd from R) and Mohammed Shami (R) during the Duleep Trophy. (PTI Photo)
Shami, who has not played for India since March 2025 and last featured in a Test during the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in 2023, spoke about mentoring youngsters after helping East Zone win the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone. Among those who caught his attention was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the teenage batter who was part of the East Zone squad.
‘The kid in our team is literally as old as my career’
He has that youthful innocence, loves to joke around, and absorbs things quickly,” Shami said. “But yes, when the game gets tight and challenging, that’s when you step in with tactical inputs and remind them to keep fighting,” he added. As for me, whether it’s your first match or your 100th, it doesn’t matter—the effort and the approach remain exactly the same,” he said. “My mindset is simple: whichever level I get an opportunity to play, I want to make it count and fulfil my responsibility toward the team,” he said.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it. The kid in our team (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) is literally as old as my career. “But most of these youngsters are already quite mature. “Every single boy put his heart and soul into this campaign to get us here. To achieve this in these conditions, in this heat, is outstanding.
With the level of cricket they play today—featuring in the IPL and other high-pressure tournaments—maturity comes early, so you don’t need to over-coach them,” he said.