“There should be a live selection meeting” - Manoj Tiwary on Harshit Rana being picked over Mohammed Shami [Exclusive]

Published - 07 Oct 2025, 21:19 IST | Updated - 07 Oct 2025, 21:42 IST

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary batted for a live selection meeting in the Indian team, so that there is transparency in the decisions taken by the selectors. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee, led by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, once again ignored veteran Bengal seamer Mohammed Shami while picking the white-ball teams for the impending tour of Australia.

Shami has not been able to break into the Indian team since the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, the management and selectors have given Harshit Rana a long rope, despite his mediocre performances so far in international cricket. Some fans and experts have questioned why the under-fire Rana has received opportunities time and again, while a proven performer like Shami has been overlooked for months.

During an exclusive chat with CricTracker, Tiwary refused to spill the beans on why Shami is being snubbed by the selectors, as it could create quite a controversy. However, he pointed out that Rana has been expensive on several occasions, and a live selection meeting could answer a lot of questions.

"Everyone is talking about this, and I would like to add my perspective. If you were to conduct an opinion poll on CricTracker asking the audience whether Mohammed Shami is a better bowler than Harshit Rana, the results would overwhelmingly favour Mohammed Shami. This includes responses from kids, adults, and cricket specialists alike," Tiwary said.

"So why is he being sidelined? I know the reason, and you’ll probably find out in the coming days. I don’t want to reveal it now because it would spark a huge debate. There’s no doubt that Harshit Rana is a very talented player. However, if you look at his performance, he is often economically expensive. Yet he seems to be preferred over Shami. Why? I don’t know, the answer can only come from the coaches. As I mentioned in your earlier interview, if there were a live selection meeting, everyone would know exactly what’s happening," he added.

Kohli, Rohit might retire after Australia tour: Manoj Tiwary

Rana has played two Tests, five ODIs, and three T20Is so far. He has accounted for four, 10, and five wickets across the three formats, respectively. However, his economy rates are 4.51 in Tests, 5.7 in ODIs, and 10.18 in T20Is.