On Tuesday, May 19, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee revealed India’s squads for a one-off Test and a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, set to start after the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Notably absent from both teams was Mohammed Shami. The experienced bowler is still waiting for his return to the national team, even after strong performances in domestic Cricket for Bengal and with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.
When questioned about Shami’s exclusion, Agarkar stated that the 35-year-old is not fit enough to compete in longer formats. He mentioned that there had been no discussion about Shami during their meeting.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer criticized Agarkar for leaving out the seasoned pacer. He pointed to Jasprit Bumrah’s situation and argued that the selectors were unfair to Shami. Jaffer placed Shami and Bumrah in a similar category, saying the selectors had disrespected Shami’s contributions to Indian cricket by not including him.
“It’s unacceptable (Agarkar’s explanation). We are talking about Mohammad Shami, not just any player. It’s disrespectful. This player is performing, and you say he can only play T20. If you don’t want him, just admit it. He has led Bengal to the Ranji Trophy semi-final,” Jaffer said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“What if Bumrah gets injured and Shami comes back? Would he be treated the same? Shami deserves respect for his contributions to India,” he added.
Shami participated in 12 matches for the Lucknow Super Giants, taking 10 wickets. He especially excelled with the new ball, challenging some top batters in International cricket.