Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar has opened up on the non-selection of the Indian star pacer Mohammed Shami in the white-ball squads for the forthcoming Australian tour, scheduled to start on Sunday, October 19, in Perth.
Speaking exclusively on NDTV Sports, Agarkar praised the star seamer and made it clear that the selection committee is currently prioritizing players who are fully prepared to perform at the highest level, and also revealed that he had multiple chats with the pacer over the last few months.
"If he says that to me, I will probably answer that. I mean, if he were 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 all the 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," Agarkar told NDTV Sports.
"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 the plane. Unfortunately, he wasn't, and our domestic season has just started. We will see if he is fit enough and where it goes. We will find out in a couple of more games. If he is bowling well, why would you not want to have someone like Shami? But what we have found in the last six or seven months, unfortunately, his fitness wasn't there," he added.
Interestingly, Shami last played international cricket in the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025. Since then, he has been part of multiple domestic games, but he is yet to get a chance in the national team.
Most recently, he told the media that there is lack of communication from the selection committee on his non-selection for the upcoming Australian tour Down Under.
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“I have had multiple chats with him” - Ajit Agarkar breaks the silence on ‘lack of communication’ comment from Mohammed Shami
India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar addresses Mohammed Shami's public comments on his ODI snub, stating the pacer was omitted due to fitness concerns, not a lack of communication.
Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar has opened up on the non-selection of the Indian star pacer Mohammed Shami in the white-ball squads for the forthcoming Australian tour, scheduled to start on Sunday, October 19, in Perth.
Speaking exclusively on NDTV Sports, Agarkar praised the star seamer and made it clear that the selection committee is currently prioritizing players who are fully prepared to perform at the highest level, and also revealed that he had multiple chats with the pacer over the last few months.
"If he says that to me, I will probably answer that. I mean, if he were 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 all the 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," Agarkar told NDTV Sports.
"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 the plane. Unfortunately, he wasn't, and our domestic season has just started. We will see if he is fit enough and where it goes. We will find out in a couple of more games. If he is bowling well, why would you not want to have someone like Shami? But what we have found in the last six or seven months, unfortunately, his fitness wasn't there," he added.
Interestingly, Shami last played international cricket in the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025. Since then, he has been part of multiple domestic games, but he is yet to get a chance in the national team.
Most recently, he told the media that there is lack of communication from the selection committee on his non-selection for the upcoming Australian tour Down Under.
Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky247 India and download the Sky247 app to start betting today!