Mohammed Shami last represented India in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The seasoned Indian pacer has taken a subtle yet pointed swipe at the team management regarding his fitness after being excluded from India’s ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming Australian tour.
Mohammed Shami, who played in the Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, has not featured in the national side in any tournament since.
He began the tournament strongly with a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh but went wicketless in the next two games before regaining form with a three-wicket performance against Australia in the semi-finals and a single wicket in the final.
Despite this, Mohammed Shami was overlooked for the England Test series, with BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar noting that Shami’s workload was not at the required level for Test cricket and that he was not fully fit.
Mohammed Shami: Indian Team Didn’t Communicate With Me About Fitness
Mohammed Shami has dismissed fitness-related speculations, asserting that he is fully match-ready despite missing out on India’s limited-overs squads. The Indian pacer clarified that any communication gap was from the team management’s side, not his own. He emphasized that if he is fit to compete in four-day Ranji Trophy matches, he is equally capable of handling the demands of 50-over cricket.
Shami has been named in Bengal’s squad for the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, which kicks off on October 15.
“The Indian team didn’t communicate with me regarding fitness. I’m not the one who has to inform them — they should ask. If I can play four-day cricket, why can’t I play a 50-over game? If I wasn’t fit, I’d be at the NCA, not playing in the Ranji Trophy,” Shami told India Today.
Mohammed Shami rationale for the pacer’s omission. Agarkar recently told the media that there had been no new developments regarding Shami, citing his limited game time in recent seasons.
“I have no update. He has played in the Duleep Trophy. But over the last two to three years, he hasn’t played much cricket. I think he played one game for Bengal and one in the Duleep Trophy. As a performer, we know his capabilities, but he needs to play cricket,” Agarkar said.
