.jpg?type=hq)
Ajit Agarkar (L) and Mohammed Shami (R)
In a string of disappointments, the veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami faced another omission from India's ODI squad. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee ignored Mohammed Shami while announcing India's squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Shami's personal coach slammed the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar for ignoring the veteran pacer despite his brilliant credentials. The selectors' decision has also raised eyebrows as most of the cricket fans and experts were expecting Shami's ODI comeback after his impressive performances in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.
"What more a player can do?" - Mohammed Shami's coach asks selectors
While speaking his mind about his disciple's omission, Shami's coach asked Ajit. Agarkar, if there's anything more left to do for him to get picked in India's squad.
"What more can a player do? How many more wickets should the player take?" said Shami's coach to India Today.
"This means they do not want him in the ODI team," he added later.
Notably, Mohammed Shami is currently the leading wicket-taker for Bengal in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, the premier domestic 50-over tournament. He has bagged 11 wickets in five innings, with an economy of 5.65. Interestingly, it also includes his best figures of 3/55 against Assam on Saturday.
What makes Shami's omission more controversial is that his best performance in the ongoing VHT 2025-26 came on the same day India's squad for the New Zealand ODIs was announced.
In the same line of events, Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla also called out the selection committee's decision of ignoring Shami despite brilliant numbers in the same format. Shukla felt that it was nothing more than 'injustice' with the in-form pacer," said Shukla to Revsportz.
.jpg)
The Shami-Agarkar selection fiasco
Notably, Mohammed Shami had also been in the headlines for his controversy with the chief selector Ajit Agarkar after his omission from the home Tests against West Indies. Furthermore, Shami was also left out of India's squad for the ODI series against Australia in Australia.
It all started when Agarkar claimed Shami's fitness as a reason behind the latter not getting picked in India's ODI squad for the Australia tour.
"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," said Agarkar during a press conference while announcing the India squad for Australia ODIs.
Agarkar's 'fitness' remarks didn't sit well with Mohammed Shami, and he took his chance to hit back at the former.
"I have said this before, selection is not in my hands. If there is a fitness issue, I shouldn't be here playing for Bengal," Shami told reporters after his exclusion from the ODI squad.
"I think I do not need to speak on this and create a controversy. If I can play four-dayers (Ranji Trophy), I can also play 50-over cricket," he added later, stressing that he is fit to play for India.
Agarkar's response to Shami
Furthermore, Shami's claims prompted Agarkar to issue a clarification regarding the former's omission from the ODI squad.
"If he says that to me, I will probably answer that. I mean if he was here, I would probably do that. 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 all the 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," said Agarkar in response to Shami's claims.
Now, Shami is expected to be in action for Bengal in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy in their next game against Hyderabad on Tuesday, January 6, in Rajkot.
