Mohammed Shami Gave BCCI Selectors A Huge Shock; Refused To Join Team India In Australia

Mohammed Shami, the 34-year-old star bowler who was long regarded as Jasprit Bumrah's second-in-command, was withdrawn from India's Test team on Saturday, May 24, for the forthcoming five-match series against England. This move likely marked the end of Shami's career.

When Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the selectors, announced the 18-member squad without Shami's name on it, he chose to play the messenger of doom.

Shami was assessed earlier this week in Lucknow by a member of the BCCI's Sports Science and Medical staff, who concluded that the fast bowler's physique is not yet ready to withstand the demands of bowling 15 to 20 overs each day, according to PTI.

Ajit Agarkar reveals why Mohammed Shami was not picked for the England tour

Shami has been training to be ready for the England tour, but his workload isn't at its ideal level right now, according to the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar.

“He has been trying to get fit for the series, but he has had a little bit of a setback for the last week or so, and he has got some MRIs done. I’d like to mention, I don’t think he was going to be available for all five Tests. I don’t think his workload is where it needs to be," Agarkar told reporters in Mumbai on Saturday.

“Shami is not 100% fit, recent MRIs have shown. He’s had a little bit of a setback over the past week; he got some MRIs done. I wasn’t going to be able to play five Tests. Don’t think his workload is where he needs to be. His workload is not where it needs to be. We were hoping he’ll play some part, but if he’s not fit, we’d rather pick guys fit and available rather than waiting. It is unfortunate. At the moment, he is not fully fit,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami stayed away from the on-field action for over a year due to an ankle injury. Shami recovered successfully from the ankle surgery in February 2024 but started suffering pain in his right knee, for which he has been seeking treatment.

Mohammed Shami refused to join Indian team in Australia- Report

Mohammed Shami has represented India in 64 Tests and scalped 229 wickets at an average of 27.1, boasting six five-wicket hauls. As per a report in PTI, the star pacer isn’t yet fit for taking up Test workload and missing out on 10 matches in Australia, and now England has raised questions over his future in Tests.

The report further stated that because Shami's body was not prepared for red-ball cricket, he ignored the Indian team management's appeals to travel to Australia. Despite his desire to increase his effort in white-ball matches, Shami's body is still not prepared for Test matches six months later.

Shami's body's ability to withstand the demands of the longest format was not tested by day matches. He bowled 43 overs during Bengal's November Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh.

According to the PTI article, Mohammed Shami is officially 34 years old, but if one listens to Bengal cricket, he is thought to be close to 40.

Shami's return unlikely

After a challenging day of tennis, Mohammed Shami finds it difficult to recover, particularly now that he is older than thirty.

The significance of the England series prevented the selectors from taking a gamble that would disgrace them, and the Centre of Excellence has a bad record of removing players who have collapsed in the middle of a series.

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