"If he says that...": Ajit Agarkar responds to Mohammed Shami's dig over Australia tour snub

New Delhi [India], October 17 (ANI): India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar opened up about his controversy with right-arm seamer Mohammed Shami ahead of the ODI series against Australia, saying he hadn't seen the player's recent social media post but was open to a conversation. Agarkar also added that he has had "multiple chats" with Shami in recent months but didn't want to "give a headline."
After being dropped from the West Indies Test series and the upcoming ODIs against Australia, Shami took to social media and took a dig at Indian selectors, saying that his availability for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy proves he is fit, and it is not his job to update the selection on his fitness.
Reacting to the fast-bowler's remarks, Agarkar said on NDTV World Summit 2025, "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 most 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."
Furthermore, speaking about Shami's future with the national team, Agarkar said the pacer remains a key player for India, but his fitness will determine when he returns to the team. Agarkar also revealed that Shami would have toured England if fit and hinted that his return could depend on how he shapes up in the ongoing domestic season.
"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 that plane. Unfortunately, he wasn't. Our domestic season has just started, so we will see if he is fit enough, and we will see where it goes. This is the first round of Ranji games that is going on. 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 6-8 months to a year, even during the Australia tour, we were desperate to have him on, but unfortunately, his fitness wasn't there. If he does stay fit over the next few months, the story might be different. But at this point, as far as I know, he wasn't fit enough for that England tour," he added.
Shami hasn't played for the Indian Cricket Team since the completion of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which finished in March.
The fast bowler was left out of the Indian Test squad, which is currently playing a two-match series against the West Indies. Stating the reason behind the player's omission, chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited a lack of match time as one of the reasons for his exclusion from the squad.
Since the IPL 2025, Shami has played just one first-class game, for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, where he bowled a total of 34 overs in two innings of the game, managing to scalp just one wicket. (ANI)