Mohammed Shami looks on course to leave Sunrisers Hyderabad, with Lucknow Super Giants prepared to pay the full INR 10 crore he cost at the 2025 mega-auction. Both franchises have agreed in principle; the final hurdle is the fast bowler’s sign-off, due by the league’s 3 pm deadline on 15 November for retained and released players.
The basics first. It is an all-cash transaction. Shami, 35, would link up again with former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, now head of talent development at LSG. Arun’s tenure with the national side coincided with Shami’s best international years, and the franchise hopes a familiar voice will help restore rhythm and pace that deserted him last season.
Form and fitness questions
Shami has not played for India since the Champions Trophy final in March. While turning out for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy he admitted to being in a “difficult phase” after missing selection for the West Indies home Tests, the South Africa series now under way, and the upcoming tour of England.
Numbers tell the same story. In IPL 2025 he managed six wickets in nine outings, conceding 11.23 per over. At Hyderabad he leaked runs at 12.35 and his 0-75 against Punjab Kings became the second-costliest spell in league history. The contrast with his Gujarat Titans stint is stark. Across 2022 and 2023 he topped the powerplay charts with 28 wickets; only Trent Boult (20) and Mohammed Siraj (15) came close. Injury ruled him out of the 2024 season, and last year that powerplay edge shrank to five wickets from nine innings.
Why SRH were tempted
Daniel Vettori and the SRH think-tank had been debating whether persistence or a parting made more sense. With one-third of their purse tied up in three senior Indian quicks—Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan—shedding a high-cost, under-performing option frees room for auction manoeuvring. The Lucknow approach arrived at the right time.
What LSG gain
Fast-bowling resources in Lucknow are stretched. Avesh Khan is rehabbing a right-knee cartilage problem, Mayank Yadav is recovering from back surgery, and Mohsin Khan is still working back from an ACL tear. Shami slots in as an experienced, new-ball specialist who, when fit, can work the seam on fresh pitches in Lucknow and Kanpur.
A member of the LSG coaching staff put it simply: “We need one Indian quick who can bowl the tough overs now, not three months later. Shami still swings it at 140-plus—there aren’t many around.”
The player perspective
Shami has not commented publicly on the move, yet those close to him say the chance to reconnect with Arun appeals. The pair’s history goes back to India Under-19 camps, and the bowler has often credited the coach with fine-tuning his wrist position. An LSG reunion, plus a change of scenery after a punishing year, may feel like a fresh start.
Broader trade picture
If rubber-stamped, this will be the second headline swap of the week after Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals agreed their own player exchange. With auction day for the 2026 season looming, franchises are working the trading window hard rather than risk bidding wars later.
Where it leaves SRH
Hyderabad still possess swing in Bhuvneshwar and death-over yorkers in Natarajan, but they will probably chase a powerplay enforcer at auction. Domestic options are thin; overseas candidates such as Josh Hazlewood or Reece Topley, if released by their current teams, could be on the radar.
What next
Paperwork permitting, the deal should be announced once Shami’s consent is logged. Should he say no, SRH must decide whether to hold or release him into the auction pool. Most observers expect the transfer to go through—10 crore in hand and a slot on the roster is hard to ignore.
Either way, the next fortnight could define Shami’s immediate future. Fresh colours might revive a proven match-winner; staying put could mean another season fighting both expectation and the Hyderabad heat. For player, franchises and league, clarity now would be welcome.
