More than a lookalike: Shami's brother Mohammed Kaif chases his own dream

For a while, Mohammed Kaif could have passed for his elder brother without bowling a ball.Standing near the boundary during Bengal’s Ranji Trophy 2026-27 match against Services in Palam, Kaif had people mistaking him for Mohammed Shami. The resemblance was striking enough to make spectators look twice. Put a cap on the two brothers, and telling them apart becomes even trickier.Kaif, 29, is used to the comparisons. He has grown up around Shami, practises with him and discusses bowling with him. But the resemblance has also provided material for a few jokes in cricket’s dressing rooms.Virat Kohli, for instance, once decided to have some fun at Kaif’s expense. “India were playing a Pink Ball Test match at Eden Gardens. I was standing downstairs, and Virat came by and started joking around, pretending not to know me or acting like someone else just to tease,” Kaif recalled.“He knows Shami bhai very well, so he was just pulling my leg for fun.” Kaif has also met Pat Cummins during one of the Indian Premier League seasons. Asked whether the Australian fast bowler greeted him with a “Hi, Shami”, he burst into laughter.“No, no! That ‘Hi, Shami’ thing, that was Virat!” Mohammed Kaif fielding during Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Services (India Today Photo) The joke works because the resemblance is real. Badruddin, the coach who has known Shami and Kaif since their childhood, has noticed it too.“It naturally happens since they are brothers, and having watched him grow up, to some extent, he matches Shami. That’s just a natural thing,” Badruddin said.At Palam, though, Kaif had a game to play. He did not feature in Bengal’s season opener against Delhi in Kalyani, but came into the XI against Services after Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar left for India A duty. Shami had asked to be left out, knowing the surface did not warrant him.On a surface where spinners dominated, Kaif was not required to bowl long spells. He sent down four overs in the first innings without taking a wicket, then returned figures of one for seven in five overs in the second. His wicket, however, came at an important moment: he dismissed Ravi Chauhan leg-before-wicket when Services were 79 for one, chasing 209. Bengal eventually won by 61 runs.Kaif did not dominate the scorecard, but he remained involved, encouraging the bowling group from the boundary and staying ready whenever the captain called on him. His fielding, too, carried the energy associated with his elder brother.Shami was at Palam, walking along the sidelines and keeping an eye on the team’s progress, including Kaif’s contribution.COMPETITION WITH BHAIYA Mohammad Kaif has played 15 Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal (Courtesy: Kaif/Instagram) But the connection between the brothers extends well beyond their faces. It began on the roof of their home, with a tennis ball, arguments over runs and the kind of sibling rivalry that needed no audience.“Ah, those kid stories!” Kaif said, laughing when asked about competing with Shami as children.“When we played cricket on the roof, we used to compete constantly, deciding who would score how many runs in an over, or who would get out. We practised with a tennis ball on the roof, and our matches and arguments would always keep going.”Shami’s journey into professional cricket gave those games a direction. When his elder brother made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2010-11, Kaif was around 14 or 15. He already knew what he wanted to do.“My mind was always in cricket,” he said.“My father supported us a lot; he stood by us, whether it was Shami bhai or me, and always took us for practice.”“Before every match, he would call us, and even after the match, he would call to ask how it went and get all the details. The family’s support has always been there.”Shami and Kaif began training under coach Badruddin in Uttar Pradesh, and still return to their farmhouse there to work on their game whenever they can.MOVING TO KOLKATAKaif moved to Kolkata around the time Shami began his Ranji career. He played for Bengal U-23 sides, and has spent much of his cricketing life around the Bengal set-up. Yet there was no early certainty that he would become a fast bowler.“When I started, I only batted. I never thought I would become a bowler,” he said.“But when I went to Kolkata, I started bowling there, and eventually made my Ranji Trophy debut as a bowler. It felt great because since Shami bhai is a fast bowler, it added extra support.”KAIF'S RANJI NUMBERS2023–24 (debut season): 17 wickets in six matches, including 3/62 on debut and 4/14 against Uttar Pradesh.2024–25: 17 wickets in five matches.2025–26: Nine wickets in three matches.2026-27: One wicket in one match.Kaif made his List A debut for Bengal in 2021 and his first-class debut in January 2024. When the Ranji cap finally came, Shami marked it publicly. “Finally after a long struggle, you got Ranji trophy cap for Bengal,” he wrote on social media, before wishing his younger brother a great future and urging him to give his 100 percent and keep working hard. Screengrab from Mohammed Shami/Instagram Kaif has played 15 first-class matches, taking 44 wickets, since making his debut for Bengal in January 2024. He has also featured in nine domestic 50-over matches, and T20s in Bengal, with opportunities in the shorter formats still limited.LEARNING FROM SHAMIThat support has become one of Kaif’s biggest advantages. For the past year and a half, the brothers have spent considerably more time together, giving Kaif the opportunity to learn directly from Shami. Shami has had the time to give his brother because he is not part of the national set-up at the moment.“Yes, we discuss bowling all the time. Earlier, we didn’t get this much time together, but for the last year and a half, we’ve been together, so I get to learn a lot from him,” he said.Kaif has posted videos of their practice sessions on social media, describing the experience as practising against the best. He sees it as an advantage few young fast bowlers could hope to have.“It gives me confidence because I practise with him. I know that he is one of the best bowlers with the red or white ball. I can’t find better practice anywhere else,” he said.“In matches, I always think that if I can face or practise against the person making others practise, no one can easily get me out. I keep myself mentally prepared and am reminded that, since I practise with Shami bhai, I shouldn’t give away my wicket easily.”Kaif has scored two or three half-centuries, but it is fast bowling that has become his profession. Shami’s presence offers him both technical guidance and a demanding standard against which to measure himself.Does being Shami’s younger brother bring pressure?“Pressure is always there in any game, whether your brothers are big or not,” Kaif said.“But because bhaiya’s name is attached to me, I have to push myself a little extra. I get to practise with Shami bhai and learn from him, which gives me an opportunity to showcase my skills.”There is another side to their relationship. Kaif says Shami does not simply offer encouragement; he corrects him, pushes him and expects him to improve.“There is nothing ‘bad’ as such, everything is for our improvement,” Kaif said when asked about the best and worst things about Shami as a brother.“The best thing is that he always pushes me and corrects me during practice.”For all the advantages of having an India fast bowler at home, Kaif’s career has not followed a straight line. His progress was interrupted by an 18-month shoulder-injury lay-off, a period that coincided with the death of his father.“I didn’t go to the ground for 18 months, and at the same time, my father passed away. That was the toughest phase of my life. I couldn’t understand what was happening,” he said.“But with exercise, guidance from physios, and consulting Shami bhai, I managed to recover and push through.”WAITING FOR OPPORTUNITIESOpportunities in the Bengal side have been limited in a pace attack featuring Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar. Kaif knows that getting a place requires patience as much as preparation.“I just focus on my practice. I keep talking to bhaiya. Mentally, I have to stay prepared because I never know when I’ll get to play, or when those guys might arrive,” he said.“Most of the time, talking to bhaiya helps me a lot because he always tells me to stay mentally prepared, and I practise accordingly.”That wait is what Palam rewarded.“I was just preparing myself mentally because I knew that wherever I got a chance to play, I needed to prove myself. Even though I was sitting on the bench, it was fine. In the last match, there were three Indian fast bowlers in the squad, so making a place is tough. But whenever I get the opportunity, I will perform and give my 100 percent,” Kaif said.KAIF HAS THE POTENTIAL: COACHBadruddin believes there is more to come. But his assessment is not an uncomplicated endorsement.“Potential is definitely there, but he still needs a little more hard work,” the coach said. “If he works harder, more things will come up, and he will learn slowly. It takes a little time. But he has the capability; he can do it, and he has the capability to go up and excel.”He believes Kaif’s bowling has improved, particularly his pace and variations, but there is still work to be done.“His line and length are good, but he needs to work on his pace and learn where to pitch the ball to get wickets. These things take time to learn, and as he plays more matches, he will learn.”THE IPL AND BEYOND Mohammed Kaif has attended trials with IPL teams (India Today Photo) Kaif is not short of ambition. He has already attended an IPL trial with Delhi Capitals, travelling straight from a Ranji Trophy match after being called at short notice. He wants to keep performing in domestic cricket and give himself a chance of moving up.“Hope is there, we are performing, let’s see,” he said.“Every player has a primary goal to play in the IPL. Age doesn’t matter much; it’s about your performance and ground environment.”Ask him to name his favourite fast bowler, and he eventually offers Pat Cummins, though he cannot resist returning to Shami.“Shami bhai is there... [laughs]. But I’ve always loved Pat Cummins’ bowling the most,” he said.For now, Kaif’s focus remains on making the most of the opportunities that come his way.“Right now, the focus is just on performing well in the current matches, whether it’s the IPL trials or domestic tournaments, and giving my best,” Kaif said.At Palam, more than one person mistook Kaif for Shami as he stood near the boundary. The resemblance is hard to miss. So is the influence his elder brother has had on his cricket, from rooftop games as children to bowling sessions together now.But Kaif has ground to make up. Badruddin believes he needs to bowl quicker and learn to find the right lengths to take wickets. With opportunities in Bengal's pace attack opening up, the challenge is to turn his potential into performances.- Ends