BCCI selector defies Ajit Agarkar, initiates Mohammed Shami’s comeback to Team India
Table of Contents
Recently appointed Indian selector RP Singh, who has joined the Indian Selection board headed by Ajit Agarkar, was seen engaged in a conversation alongside Bengal pacer Mohammed Shami ahead of the South Africa tour.
Ever since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Mohammed Shami has been absent from the India National Cricket Team. The 35-year-old Indian pacer had claimed a few days ago that there hadn't been any communication from the selectors or the team management over his snub.
He has had a massive tiff with the current Indian Chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, who had mentioned that Shami was snubbed owing to his lack of fitness, and the domestic season had just begun ahead of the West Indies Tests.
Selector RP Singh engages in a long conversation with Mohammed Shami
Newly appointed Indian selector RP Singh reached out to Team India's veteran pacer Shami for a lengthy meeting at the Eden Gardens during the Ranji Trophy game between Bengal and Gujarat, as per SportsKeeda.
Singh had joined the Ajit Agarkar-led Selection Committee last month; the meeting, however, came just days after Shami and Agarkar's media exchanges over the bowler's snub from the Indian Test side.
He was among the notable absentees during India's three-match ODI tour to Australia, despite being India's joint highest wicket-taker in their previous 50-over assignment and their all-time highest wicket-taker in the ICC 50-over tournaments.
Ajit Agarkar had reasoned for Mohammed Shami's snub
After Mohammed Shami had claimed that he was unreasonably snubbed by the Indian selectors, as he was fit by all means to participate in the series against England, the West Indies, and Australia. Reacting to such remarks, Agarkar suggested that he was snubbed from the side due to fitness concerns.
He said that he was always a call away from any of the players in the Indian dugout, as he had multiple chats with the seasoned pacer over the last few months. He also praised Shami as an incredible performer for India, and had he been fit, he would have surely boarded the flight to England.
Mohammed Shami's Ranji Trophy performance in 2025-26
Shami shone with the ball in the opening match for Bengal as he picked 7 wickets in the opening match of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 against Uttarakhand. The ace seamer was also adjudged the Player of the Match for the first game, which Bengal won.
They are currently playing against Gujarat at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, after being put to bat first, they were bowled out for 279 runs. Only Abhishek Porel and Sumanta Gupta notched half-centuries while Gujarat were reduced to 107/7 on Day 2. Shahbaz Ahmed picked four wickets, and Shami bowled a spell of 2/34 in his 14 overs.
Mohammad Shami has also been snubbed from the India A squad for the upcoming series against South Africa A, which implies that he would most definitely be snubbed from the upcoming series against South Africa as well.
Tagged:
India National Cricket Team Mohammed Shami Ajit Agarkar India vs South Africa ICC World Test Championship (WTC) RP singh
