Bharat Arun criticizes selectors for excluding Mohammed Shami

Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has criticized the BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, for what he perceives as a premature decision to exclude veteran pacer Mohammed Shami from the national team.

Arun argued that Shami’s age should not be a deciding factor given his consistent performance and durability in red-ball cricket. He noted that Shami recently reached the milestone of 100 first-class matches, a feat he described as fitting for a bowler with Shami’s dedication to the format. Shami has been out of the national setup since the Champions Trophy in March 2025, despite maintaining form in domestic competitions like the Duleep Trophy.

While Shami has continued to perform for East Zone and Bengal, Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has maintained that, based on available information, the selectors do not believe Shami is fit for red-ball cricket.