ENG vs IND 2025: Ajit Agarkar reveals reason behind Mohammed Shami's Test snub

Published - 24 May 2025, 17:32 IST | Updated - 24 May 2025, 17:41 IST

Head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, weighed in on Mohammed Shami after he was not shortlisted in the 18-member squad for the upcoming series against England. India selected five out-and-out pacers but Shami failed to make it to the team. Agarkar announced that a recent hindrance during the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League played a major part in his absence.

"He's had a little bit of a setback over the past week, got some MRIs done. Wasn't going to be able to play five Tests. Don't think his workload is where he needs to be. Medical guys told he'll be ruled out. 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," said Agarkar in a press conference in Mumbai.

Shami, who last played a Test for India in June 2023, was one of three players to not make it to the squad alongside right-arm pacer Harshit Rana and middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan. As for Shami, he played nine games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025 before getting rested due to a minor niggle.

Prior to the IPL, he played a crucial part for the Men in Blue in their title-winning Champions Trophy campaign across February and March. As far the red-ball format is concerned, Shami played one game for Bengal on his return to the Ranji Trophy and picked seven wickets, including an impressive four-wicket haul.

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The five-match series against England will get underway on June 20. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace-bowling department and will be accompanied by Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur are the two pace-bowling all-rounders.