"Is he already an ICC great?" - Aakash Chopra lauds Mohammed Shami's spell in IND vs BAN 2025 Champions Trophy clash
Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Mohammed Shami for bowling a potent spell in the Men in Blue's 2025 Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh. He questioned whether the veteran India seamer is an ICC great, considering his exploits in global events.
Shami registered figures of 5/53 in 10 overs as India bowled Bangladesh out for 228 in their Group A opener in Dubai on Thursday, February 20. Rohit Sharma and company then achieved the target with six wickets and 21 deliveries to spare to start their campaign with a win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered whether Shami should be labeled an ICC great.
"Mohammed Shami has returned after spending 14 months away from the game. We were eagerly waiting for him. He has taken a five-wicket haul. The guy's stature is different in ICC events. Is he already an ICC great?" he said (0:20).
Chopra highlighted the plethora of records the right-arm seamer has created in ICC events.
"Most fifers in ICC events - he has five. The second-best is Glenn McGrath, who has three. After Shami, Ravindra Jadeja is the Indian to take the most five-wicket hauls in ICC events and he has only two. If we check from 2012, Indians have taken only seven fifers in ICC events, in which Shami has five and Jaddu has two," he observed.
"Mohammed Shami has created a bunch of records. Most wickets by an Indian in white-ball ICC events, he has taken 74 wickets. He also has the most wickets by an Indian in ICC ODI events. He has taken 60 wickets. He is the fastest Indian to 200 ODI wickets. He has taken only 104 matches," Chopra added.
Chopra pointed out that Shami might have taken more games than Mitchell Starc to reach 200 ODI wickets but has bowled the least balls to achieve the milestone. He opined that the Bengal seamer is an ICC legend.
"I too had questions about how he would perform" - Aakash Chopra on Mohammed Shami's impressive comeback in IND vs BAN 2025 Champions Trophy clash
![Mohammed Shami played two ODIs in the preceding series against England. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/59c59-17401158124751-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra acknowledged that he was concerned about Mohammed Shami's form ahead of India's 2025 Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh.
"I too had questions about how he would perform as he was not looking in great touch. However, he picked up wickets with the new ball. He was bowling around the wicket and it seemed like he was bowling well," he said (8:10).
The cricketer-turned-commentator praised the 34-year-old for using his variations to pick up wickets at the death after striking blows with the new ball.
"After that, a few variations. He bowled a few slower ones and bouncers. He picked up five wickets on a pitch where we are saying there was a lot of help for spin. Take a bow, Mohammed Shami, you have done exceedingly well, you have been outstanding," Chopra observed.
Shami dismissed Soumya Sarkar and Mehidy Hasan Miraz in his first spell. He got rid of Jaker Ali, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed with the old ball to complete his five-wicket haul.