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In early August, Chris Woakes, who had dislocated his shoulder, walked out to bat with his arm in a sling. He was even ready to take strike in a left-hander’s stance because England needed just 17 more runs to win the fifth Test against India. Mercifully, Woakes did not have to face a ball. But the act of simply being out there, running between the wickets despite grimacing in pain, was unforgettable. India went on to clinch a narrow win, but Woakes’s courage made the cricketing world pause. Cut to the end of September: England’s Ashes squad was announced. Rob Key, the director of cricket, bluntly said that Woakes “isn’t in our plans at the minute… at all.” At 36, Woakes was nearing the twilight of his career, but the decision still stung. A similar fate now seems to be unfolding for India’s Mohammed Shami. Ajit Agarkar, India’s chairman of selectors, wasn’t as blunt as Key, but Shami’s absence from the squad for the two home Tests against the West Indies suggested the same reality. Shami, who has battled injuries throughout his career, is once again on the recovery trail. He turned up in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, claiming 7 wickets against Madhya Pradesh, and also featured in the Duleep Trophy. But this wasn’t enough for a recall. “He played a match in the Duleep Trophy, but he’s not had a lot of cricket for the past 2-3 years,” Agarkar said, adding that while everyone knows Shami’s ability, “he will need to play some cricket” before being considered again. At 34, almost the same age as Woakes, Shami has picked up 229 wickets from 64 Tests. Yet, it now looks increasingly unlikely that he will get the chance to add to that tally. What made Shami special was not a single trademark delivery — no extravagant outswinger, brutal bouncer, or deadly yorker — but the subtle millimetres of movement and razor-sharp precision. At his best, he was poetry in motion: light on his feet, devastating in rhythm, and relentless in accuracy. He read conditions better than most, adjusted seamlessly to the match situation, and set batsmen up with clinical patience. For any captain, Shami was priceless. If the pitch had something to offer, he would extract it. If a partnership was building, he would plug one end. He didn’t bowl to impress; he bowled to take wickets, visualising dismissals before they happened. And yet, cricket is as much about transition as it is about legacy. Injuries are part of the game, and the rise of young, hungry pacers is inevitable. India now boast a strong fast-bowling bench. The only way for these youngsters to grow is by playing regularly, though sharing the new ball with Shami would have been the ultimate learning experience. For now, the selectors have moved on. Whether Shami gets another chance remains uncertain, but his contribution as one of India’s most dependable pacers is already etched in memory.India Squad for West Indies SeriesShubman Gill (c), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Narayan Jagadeesan (wk), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna1st Test: Oct 2–6, Ahmedabad2nd Test: Oct 10–14, New Delhi

Indian officials have again told the Trump administration that a significant reduction in Russian oil imports by the South Asian nation's refiners would require Washington to instead allow crude purchases from sanctioned suppliers Iran and Venezuela.A delegation visiting the US this week reiterated the request in meetings with American officials, a person with knowledge of the discussions said. Indian representatives have emphasised that simultaneously cutting off Indian refiners' supply from Russia, Iran and Venezuela - all major oil producers - could lead to a spike in global prices, people familiar with the negotiations added.Spokespeople for the commerce and oil ministries, and the US embassy in New Delhi, didn't immediately respond to requests seeking comment.New Delhi's representatives travelled to the US for talks after Washington imposed crushing tariffs on the country in punishment for its oil trade with Russia. Despite the levies, the South Asian nation has maintained its crude imports from the OPEC+ producer, albeit at a lower rate.Commerce minister Piyush Goyal said this week that the country wanted to increase its purchases of American oil and gas, adding that "our energy security goals will have a very high element of US involvement". He made the remarks in New York.Russia was forced to discount its crude after many others shunned trade with Moscow due to the war in Ukraine. Almost 90% of India's oil needs are met by imports, and cheaper Russian barrels have helped to reduce the burden on its import bill. Iranian and Venezuelan oil would also be similarly discounted.