New Delhi: Senior pacer Mohammed Shami has taken a swipe at the Indian team management and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee after being left out
of India‘s ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Australia. Quashing any doubts over his fitness status, Shami argued that he can play ODIs for India if he is ready to play four-day matches for Bengal in the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025-26.
Shami has been named in a strong Bengal side for the Ranji Trophy 2025-35. Senior batter Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead the team, which also consists of two prominent Indian pacers – Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar. Shami will partner with the duo in what will be one of the strongest pace units in the tournament.
Speaking about his snub from India’s ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, Shami rubbished any rumours about his fitness and said he is match-ready. The senior pacer claimed that there was no communication from the selectors or the team management regarding his fitness before the squad announcement, and that he would have been at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (COE) if he was not fully fit.
“The Indian team didn’t communicate with me regarding fitness. I am not the one who would inform them about my fitness – they have to ask me. If I can play four-day cricket, then why can’t I play a 50-over game? If I wasn’t fit, I’d be at the NCA and not playing here in the Ranji Trophy,” Shami was quoted as saying by India Today.
Shami’s comments have contradicted chief selector Ajiat Agarka, who gave a different explanation for the pacer’s exclusion from India’s limited-overs squads after India’s squads for the Australia tour were announced earlier this month. Agarkar cited the lack of game time for the pacer and said he hasn’t played a lot of cricket in recent times, raising doubts over his fitness.
“I have no update. He has played in the Duleep trophy. But in the last two-three years, he hasn’t played a lot of cricket. I think he played one game for Bengal and one in the Duleep trophy. As a performer, we know what he can do, but he has to play cricket,” Agarkar said in the squad announcement presser.
When did Mohammed Shami last play for India?
Shami was part of India’s squad in their victorious campaign in the Champions Trophy 2025. The senior pacer last featured in the Champions Trophy 2-25 final against New Zealand, where he picked up a solitary wicket as India defeated the Kiwis by 4 wickets to clinch the trophy. Shami picked up 9 wickets in five matches for India in the tournament and was the joint-highest wicket-taker for the team alongside spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.
While a India comeback looks unlikely anytime soon, Shami has made it clear that he still intends to continue performing at the highest level for India. He will be aiming to do well for Bengal in the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025-26 to win back his spot in the Indian team.
