‘If he were fit…’ – Ajit Agarkar responds to Mohammed Shami’s fitness update jibe after IND vs AUS snub

Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar has responded to Mohammed Shami’s disgruntlement. The veteran fast bowler hasn’t been in India’s scheme of things since that successful Champions Trophy run in March. Shami, who had spent more than a year on the sidelines due to persistent injury issues, had finally returned in January but didn’t look like the Shami of old.

Shami disgruntled with lack of communication

He had a lacklustre Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season for his new team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad. This was followed by a snub for the England tour, the 2025 T20 Asia Cup, the West Indies Test series, and the Australia tour. The selectors picked Shami for the Duleep Trophy but had a woeful outing for East Zone, where he took 1 wicket in 34 overs. Subsequently, he wasn’t selected for India A or the Rest of India.

Before beginning the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season for Bengal, Shami was asked about his fitness and future India prospects. Unhappy, he stated that he doesn’t have any fitness issues and is prepared to play, but there hasn’t been any update from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“About giving an update, it’s not my responsibility to give an update or ask for an update. It’s not my job to give updates on my fitness. My job is to go to the NCA (National Cricket Academy), prepare, and play matches. Woh unki baat hai; unko kaun update deta hai, kisne nahin diya (That’s their matter who gives them updates or not). It’s not my responsibility,” Shami told PTI.

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Shami says he’s fit; Agarkar says he’s not

Agarkar responded to the whole matter by stating that Shami and he have had several conversations in the last few months. The Chairman of Selectors also stated that if he didn’t know what he said and had read it, he would have called him to clear the matter and confirmed that he’ll have a chat with him once again.

“If he says that to me, I will answer that. If I read what he said, I will give him a call. I have had multiple chats with him over the last few months. If he said something, that is a conversation for me to have with him,” Agarkar said at the NDTV World Summit 2025.

The former India all-rounder had stated previously that Shami wasn’t fit for selection for the England tour due to fitness issues and reiterated the same now. Agarkar added that the medical team at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) didn’t think the pacer’s body was ready when the selection committee was deliberating the squad for the India vs Australia series.

Had Shami been fit, he would have been on that flight to Australia alongside Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Agarkar also stated that the veteran pacer might play for India in the coming months if his fitness meets the standards for international cricket.

“If he were fit, he would have been on that plane to England. The domestic season has just started, and we will see if he is fit enough. We were desperate to have him for the Australia tour, but he wasn’t fit. If he is fit over the next two months, the story might change,” he added.

The post ‘If he were fit…’ – Ajit Agarkar responds to Mohammed Shami’s fitness update jibe after IND vs AUS snub appeared first on Inside Sport India.