Team India was announced for the Test series against West Indies on September 25, 2025. Shami did not get a chance in this series. In such a situation, fast bowler Mohammed Shami and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have come face to face regarding team selection. Both have raised questions on each other thrice in the last 20 days.
Ajit Agarkar said, ‘No new information has come about Shami yet. However, he has not played much cricket recently and he needs to play more matches.’ The reason for this is that Agarkar had clearly said, ‘No information has been given about Shami’s fitness.’
What did Shami say?
While on October 14, Shami put an end to the rumors about his fitness and took a dig at the team management after Agarkar’s statement. After being dropped from the ODI and T20 squad for the Australia tour, Shami said, ‘I am completely fit and ready to play in any format.’
Shami said that there was no discussion by the team management about fitness. He clarified that if he can play a four-day Ranji Trophy match, then he is also capable of playing 50-over cricket. Shami said, “The Indian team has not talked to me about my fitness. If I can play four-day cricket, why can’t I play 50-overs? If I was not fit, I would have been in the NCA, not playing the Ranji Trophy.”
On the other hand, reacting to Mohammed Shami’s statement, Agarkar said in an event, ‘If he was fit, he would have been in the team. I don’t know what he said on social media. “If I read it, I can call him, but my phone is always on for all the players. I’ve spoken to him many, many times in the last few months.”
