"I am hopeful; in a couple of series in the next WTC cycle, I will get my chance" - Shahbaz Nadeem

Indian domestic veteran Shahbaz Nadeem is determined to win his place back in the Test team, especially for games at home. The left-arm spinner has said that breaking into the XI is challenging, as most domestic batters are excellent players of spin.

Although the 32-year old has played only two Tests, he has a credible First-Class record. He has 459 wickets in 120 games at 28.61. He has taken 21 fifers, and recently took five wickets in each innings against Jharkhand of a First-Class game in Guwahati.

That moment when you pick up your first Test wicket.

Shahbaz Nadeem, welcome to Test cricket 👏👏 https://t.co/nk43i8o1Ee

With India set to play most of their Tests in the World Test Championship cycle at home, the left-arm spinner hopes to get back into the team. He said, as quoted by Sportstar Hindu:

"For a spinner, doing well in our domestic cricket is tougher than even when playing for India A because you have very good players of spin here. So If I do well here, I am hopeful, in a couple of series in the next WTC cycle, I will get my chance."

The Bihar-born player, who debuted in October 2019, last played a Test in Chennai in February 2021 against England. Although he took four wickets in the game, Nadeem was expensive, and did not play the remaining matches of the series.

"The only thing I can do is keep performing and banging the door" - Shahbaz Nadeem

The 32-year old also acknowledged the intense competition for places in the team. Nadeem believes consistent performances and mental toughness is the only way to survive and thrive.

Spinner Shahbaz Nadeem receives his maiden Test cap from India skipper Virat Kohli. 👏

#INDvSA https://t.co/t7bWronEE1

He added:

"The competition will always be there. The only thing I can do is keep performing and banging the door. That is the only thing that drives me. There are lakhs of players in India, and to be in the top-20, you have to be mentally tough."

"To play for the national team and be there consistently, you have to do well in whatever matches you get. You can only worry about what is in your hands, which is performing well in domestic cricket."

India are set to lock horns against Sri Lanka in a two-Test series that starts on March 4. The spinners in the squad are Ravichandran Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.