Shahbaz Ahmed was seen working on his footwork with former cricketer, Joydeep Mukherjee, at the JU campus in Salt Lake, on Saturday. After missing most of last season due to a dislocated shoulder and sports hernia, the lanky all-rounder has made a strong comeback, scoring 300 runs in four Ranji Trophy matches at an average of 60, alongside picking up 22 wickets.
Shahbaz continued his fine form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, hitting three half-centuries in five innings and taking five wickets. He was a part of India’s previous T20I series against South Africa as a replacement for Axar Patel. But he was overlooked for the upcoming New Zealand series, with leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi being named as Washington Sundar’s replacement.
Now 31, Shahbaz is focused on finishing the Ranji Trophy strongly for Bengal, starting with the match against Services from January 22. In a chat with RevSportz, he spoke about the challenges of switching formats, his first-class ambitions, taking inspiration from Ravindra Jadeja, his experiences of sharing the IPL dressing room with Virat Kohli and Pat Cummins, alongside Shubman Gill’s leadership.
How do you deal with being overlooked for the T20I series against New Zealand?
Shahbaz Ahmed: Washington is a different kind of player, and my skill set is different. My focus is only on my performance. If I stay fit and perform well, I believe I will get my opportunity. Whenever a replacement is needed, if I’m performing, I’ll get my chance.
You have played three ODIs and two T20Is for India. Looking ahead, where do you see your career going?
Shahbaz Ahmed: I haven’t played continuous cricket over the last few months due to injuries. I had a shoulder injury and sports hernia due to which I missed a lot of action. I played only half of the domestic season for Bengal. When you play less cricket, selectors don’t focus much on you because your performances aren’t consistent. So, my main focus now is to perform well in the remaining season. My goal is to win matches for my team. I don’t set targets like getting an India call-up. My focus is simply to perform well in whichever tournament I play.
The Ranji Trophy match against Services is just around the corner. You must be looking forward to that game.
Shahbaz Ahmed: We have two group league matches left in the Ranji Trophy this season, and we are in a good position. We will definitely try to take advantage of our home conditions. If we can win matches outright, qualification becomes easier. Our aim is to win both matches outright and earn maximum points so that we can host knockout matches at home. Qualification is not our only focus—we want to play the final and win the trophy. Everyone in the team has the ability to do that.
As an all-rounder, what do you enjoy more—batting or bowling?
Shahbaz Ahmed: In Bengal, people often look at me as a bowling all-rounder, but personally I enjoy batting more. If you look at my stats, they reflect that I’m actually more of a batting all-rounder. Over the last three or four years, I’ve also started enjoying bowling a lot more. Being a multi-skilled player is what keeps the game exciting for me.
Is there any all-rounder that you look up to?
Shahbaz Ahmed: I draw a lot of inspiration from Ravindra Jadeja. He is truly a legend, and his contribution to Indian cricket is immense. If I could contribute for my team at any level with both batting and bowling and become a match-winner like him, that would be the greatest achievement for me.
Having played for multiple IPL franchises—RCB, SRH, and now LSG—what have you gained from sharing the dressing room with stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Pat Cummins?
Shahbaz Ahmed: Every team has a different mindset, and you learn a lot from different players. At RCB, I learned a lot from Virat Kohli—his work ethic, his preparation, and the way he supports his teammates. At SRH, I learned from Pat Cummins and the coaching staff how a team can dominate games. Their approach to cricket was very strong.
How challenging is it for a cricketer to shift from one format to another, especially with your focus now moving from white-ball cricket to Ranji Trophy?
Shahbaz Ahmed: Nowadays, there are format-specific players—some dominate only in T20s, while others perform mainly in red-ball cricket. I have huge respect for players who perform well in all three formats. Switching formats is challenging, especially when matches are close together, but three-format players adjust and perform. It’s never an excuse.
You’ve played under captains like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Pat Cummins. Did any of them inspire you in particular?
Shahbaz Ahmed: Virat Kohli was a very good captain. He trusted me a lot, especially while bowling and fielding. I really enjoyed playing under his leadership. I also enjoyed playing under Pat Cummins at SRH. I didn’t get many opportunities at LSG last season, but overall, I’ve learned something from every captain.
You’ve shared the dressing room with Shubman Gill. How do you see him as a batter and as a captain?
Shahbaz Ahmed: Shubman Gill has been performing consistently across formats. He has done very well in ODIs and Tests and is also a great T20 player. We’ve seen how well he has performed in the IPL and for India. He’s doing a great job leading a young team, and everyone seems to be enjoying playing under him. I hope he continues performing well and achieves great success.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not playing cricket?
Shahbaz Ahmed: I like spending time with my teammates and friends. I also enjoy being at home and relaxing. Simple things make me happy.
Bengal last won the Ranji Trophy in 1989. How confident are you about this season?
Shahbaz Ahmed: In the last few seasons, injuries and player unavailability were major issues for Bengal. Now, everyone is fit, and the team is performing well in red-ball cricket. We want to carry this momentum and make full use of home conditions in the knockouts. If we do that, we have a very good chance of winning the Ranji Trophy this season.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
