We were desperate to have Shami for Australia ODIs, but he wasn't fit - Agarkar

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Shami wasn't chosen for the Australia tour. © Getty

Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of Indian men's selection panel, stated on Friday that Mohammed Shami was not selected for India's tour of England due to fitness issues. However, even as Shami was left out of India's ODI squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, Agarkar mentioned that he continues to be in the plans if the selectors are convinced of his fitness levels.

Agarkar's comments came a few days after Shami had expressed his displeasure at not being considered in the national team despite playing four-day cricket - in Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy.

Shami, who is currently playing for Bengal in the opening round of Ranji Trophy 2025-26 at Eden Gardens, picked up three lower order wickets in the first innings against Uttarakhand. In the second essay, he has gone wicketless so far in the 15 overs he has bowled.

"Selection is not in my hands. If there's a fitness issue, I should not be here playing for Bengal. I don't need to speak on this and create a controversy. If I can play four-dayers, I can also play 50-over cricket," Shami told PTI.

Reacting to the statement, Agarkar said at the NDTV World Summit 2025, "If he says that to me, I will probably answer that. I mean if he was here, I would probably do that. I am not quite sure what he said on social media. Maybe if I read that, I might give him a call but my phone is always on for most players. I have had multiple chats with him over the last few months, but I don't want to try and give you a headline here.

"He has been an incredible performer for India. If he said something, maybe that is a conversation for me to have with him or him to have with me. But even before England, we said if he was fit, he would have been on that plane. Unfortunately, he wasn't.

"Our domestic season has just started so we will see if he is fit enough and we will see where it goes. This is the first round of Ranji games that is going on. We will find out in a couple of more games. If he is bowling well, why would you not want to have someone like a Shami.

"But what we have found in the last six-eight months to a year, even during the Australia tour, we were desperate to have him on, but unfortunately his fitness wasn't there. If he does stay fit over the next few months, the story might be different. But at this point, as far as I know, he wasn't fit enough for that England tour," he added.

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