Sourav Ganguly, in a firm yet measured tone, asked head coach Gautam Gambhir to reconsider Mohammed Shami’s place in India’s Test plans. Ganguly, speaking after India’s defeat, insisted that Gambhir “must play on good pitches in India” and pressed for Shami’s immediate return to international cricket. The veteran pacer has been ignored for the home season despite an outstanding start to his Ranji Trophy campaign, in which he picked up 15 wickets in his first three matches. Shami’s last Test appearance came during the World Test Championship final nearly two years ago, but his domestic rhythm remains intact. On Sunday, he bowled another hard spell for Bengal against Assam, finishing the day with figures of 22-4-62-2. Ganguly did not mince words. He was diplomatic on his fondness for Gambhir and his support for Shami and said, “I am very fond of Gautam; he has done well in the 2011 and T20 World Cups. He will continue for a while, but he must play on good pitches in India. He must have faith in Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami." Speaking to SportsTak, he further added, “I think Shami deserves a place in this Test team. Shami and the spinners will win Tests for him." Ganguly pushes for balanced wickets; reminds Gambhir of England template Ganguly later expanded his viewpoint while speaking to NDTV. He emphasised that India must move away from excessive pitch assistance and instead build conditions that allow batters to post substantial totals. He cited the England tour, where India secured a 2-2 draw because “their batters put runs up on the board.” According to him, India should consistently aim for 350-plus scores to create opportunities for bowlers across five full days. Ganguly said, “Play on good wickets. I hope Gautam Gambhir is listening. He needs to take the wicket out of the game. Because if his batters aren’t putting up 350–400, he will not win Tests." Ganguly added “That is the reason they won in England, because their batters put runs up on the board. He must play on good wickets. And trust his people. And win Tests in 5 days. Not in 3 days."