Ajit Agarkar Reacts To Mohammed Shami's Criticism Of Selection Panel After Australia Tour Snub: 'If He Says That To Me...'

Former India pace and current BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has broken his silence on the controversy that has erupted around Mohammed Shami's fitness issues. Shami has been out of the Indian setup for the past few months, having last played for the national team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Agarkar had made it clear that Mohammed Shami wasn't selected for the England series because he wasn't fit and his general match fitness hadn't been up to scratch in the last six to eight months.

"If he says that to me, I will answer that. If I read what he said, I will give him a call. I have had multiple chats with him over the last few months. If he said something, that is a conversation for me to have with him," Agarkar said.

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"If he were fit, he would have been on that plane to England. The domestic season has just started, and we will see if he is fit enough. We were desperate to have him for the Australia tour, but he wasn’t fit. If he is fit over the next two months, the story might change," Agarkar added.

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Shami, ahead of Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Uttarakhand, had expressed his anguish at being overlooked for the upcoming ODIs against Australia, stating that if he is fit for Ranji Trophy, he might as well have also played 50-over cricket.

Having played just nine matches during the IPL 2025, Shami missed out on the Asia Cup selection as well. While one expected him to be on the flight to Australia for the ODI series, he wasn’t named in the squad and expressed his disappointment in public.

"Selection isn’t in my hands. If there is a fitness issue, I should not be here playing for Bengal. I think I don’t need to speak on this and create a controversy. If I can play four-dayers [Ranji Trophy], I can also play 50-overs cricket," Shami was quoted by PTI as saying.

Notably, the chief selector had said during the ODI team announcement that he didn’t have any ‘update’ on Shami.