“If He Was Fit…” – Ajit Agarkar Fires Back at Mohammed Shami’s Fitness Claims

Ajit Agarkar has cleared the air on Mohammed Shami’s absence from India’s upcoming Australia tour, saying the veteran pacer wasn’t deemed match-fit by the selectors.

Shami recently claimed he was fit and not properly informed about his non-selection, but Agarkar dismissed suggestions of a communication gap.

“If he says that to me, I will probably answer that. I have had multiple chats with him over the last few months,” Agarkar said.

The chief selector explained that Shami’s exclusion was purely based on fitness and readiness, not reputation.

“He has been an incredible performer for India. Even before England, we said if he was fit, he would have been on that plane. Unfortunately, he wasn’t,” Agarkar added.

The 34-year-old pacer has battled ankle and knee injuries since the 2023 World Cup and underwent surgery earlier this year. Despite returning to domestic cricket through the Ranji Trophy, selectors want to see sustained match fitness before considering him again.

Agarkar said the panel would continue monitoring Shami’s progress in the domestic circuit.

“Our domestic season has just started. We’ll see if he’s fit enough and where it goes. If he’s bowling well, why would you not want someone like Shami?” he said.

Shami, on his part, maintained that by playing domestic games, he had proved his readiness and was not responsible for constantly updating the selectors. His performances in the next few matches will likely determine his international comeback chances.

India will soon begin a white-ball series against Australia starting October 19, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to action.