Wasim Jaffer criticised Ajit Agarkar after Mohammed Shami missed India’s squads for the Afghanistan Test and ODI series.
Ajit Agarkar and the Indian selection committee announced squads on May 19 for the one-off Test and 3-match ODI series against Afghanistan, but the absence of Mohammed Shami quickly became a major talking point.
Agarkar explained that the Shami is currently not fit enough for longer formats and revealed that selectors did not seriously discuss his inclusion.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer strongly disagreed with that explanation and criticised the decision publicly. Jaffer argued that Shami deserved more respect after his performances for Bengal in domestic cricket and for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026.
“It’s rubbish (Ajit Agarkar’s explanation). We are talking about Mohammad Shami, not just any player. It’s disrespectful to Mohammad Shami. You see, this guy is performing, and you say he’s only fit for T20. It’s an excuse. Be clear if you don’t consider him, you, ‘We have overlooked him.’ That would be a fair statement. He is coming after guiding Bengal single-handedly to the Ranji Trophy (season) semi-final, the way he spearheaded the bowling,” Jaffer said in a video on his YouTube channel.
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Jaffer also compared Shami with Jasprit Bumrah and questioned whether selectors would treat Bumrah similarly after an injury comeback. He added that international batters still rate Shami among the world’s best fast bowlers.
“What if Bumrah gets injured, and he comes back? Would you treat him the same way? Mohammad Shami is in the same bracket. Go and ask any international batter, and they would rank him on top. It’s disrespectful for the services he provided to India,” he added.
The veteran pacer has taken 206 wickets in 108 ODI matches at an average of 24.05 and a strike rate of 25.85. He also became the second-fastest bowler in history to reach 200 ODI wickets, achieving the milestone in only 103 innings.
Shami produced some of his finest performances in ICC tournaments. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, he finished as the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets from just 7 matches. He later shared the position of India’s highest wicket-taker in the 2025 Champions Trophy with 9 wickets.
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His 7/57 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semi-final remains the best ODI bowling figure by an Indian. Shami also entered India’s ODI hat-trick club during the 2019 World Cup against Afghanistan.
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