• Source:JND
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India Tour Of Australia: India's seasoned speedster Mohammed Shami has debunked the speculations about his fitness concerns, asserting that he is fully fit and capable following his omission from India’s T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming tour of Australia.

The veteran pacer has been missing from the international set-up due to injury since India's 2025 Champions Trophy victory, which came in March.

Despite being a regular name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket for Bengal, maintaining his match sharpness, Shami was overlooked by the BCCI selectors for the Australia tour, which eventually sparked speculation about the 35-year-old pacer's future in limited-overs cricket.

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Putting the fitness rumours to rest, Shami addressed his Australia tour omission and speculation on his YouTube channel.

“People want to know my opinion on the non-selection for the Australia series. I will just say that getting selected is not in my hands; it's the job of the selection committee, coach, and captain. If they feel I should be there, they will select me, or if they feel some more time is needed, it's in their hands. I am ready and practising,” Shami said on his YouTube channel.

The ace pacer also put to rest any doubts about his physical condition, assuring fans about his fitness.

“My fitness is also good. I will try to do better because when you are away from the ground, you need to remain motivated. I played in the Duleep Trophy. I felt very comfortable, my rhythm was good, and I bowled around 35 overs. There are no issues with my fitness," he added.

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India's chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, previously cited the lack of recent match practice as a reason for Shami's omission, which is a completely contradictory statement to Shami's assertion that he is fit and match-ready. Agarkar also stated that a seasoned campaigner hadn't played sufficient cricket, whereas Shami maintained his fitness in recent domestic outings, including bowling 35 overs in the Duleep Trophy.

"I don't have an update. I think he has not played a lot of cricket in the last 2-3 years. I think he's played one match for Bengal and one for the Duleep Trophy. So as a performer, we know what he can do, but he will need to play some cricket," Agarkar explained.