The Indian selection committee is facing mounting pressure to stop beating around the bush and clearly state where they stand regarding Mohammed Shami’s international future. This demand comes on the heels of the veteran pacer being completely left out of the squad for next month’s one-off Test against Afghanistan, as well as the subsequent three-match ODI series. Shami last appeared in a Test match back in June 2023, while his most recent appearance for the national side came in March during the final of the 2025 ODI Champions Trophy.
Mohammed Shami's ODI snub sparks debate
Agarkar has consistently pointed to Shami’s fitness as the primary reason the selection panel has avoided picking him for red-ball cricket. However, this explanation has raised eyebrows given that the 35-year-old has been a regular fixture in domestic cricket for Bengal across all three formats, and is currently actively playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.
Wasim Jaffer blasts India selectors for ignoring Shami for Afghanistan series
The justification was pushed further into the spotlight when Agarkar recently claimed he was informed that Shami's current fitness levels are only adequate for the shorter demands of T20 cricket. This reasoning was firmly blasted by former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer, who branded the explanation as 'nonsense' and publicly reminded the selection panel of Shami’s immense, proven contributions to Indian cricket in the past.
“It’s nonsense. A guy (Shami) who played the entire season, took 40-plus wickets – what more can he do?" Jaffer said on his YouTube channel. “And we are talking about Mohammad Shami, not just any player. He has been a proven performer, has won India matches singlehandedly, took them into the 2023 World Cup final on his own. It’s disrespectful to Mohammad Shami to be honest. At one point, you asked people to show their fitness, play first-class cricket. Now that the guy has proved it, you claiming he’s only fit for T20 cricket. What can I say? It’s nonsense."
“It’s just an excuse to not pick him. You should be clear if you don’t consider him for Test cricket. ‘We have overlooked Mohammed Shami’ – That would be a fair statement. Rather than giving excuses. He has proven his fitness by playing Ranji Trophy, he took Bengal into the semifinal, spearheaded their bowling attack," he added.
India’s ODI squad for Afghanistan series
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma*, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya*, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey
Note
*Subject to fitness clearance.
Meanwhile, the ODI series opener has been rescheduled and is now slated to be played on June 13.