Shami's last appearance for India was during the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph in March.
Legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on indirect communication in Indian cricket, saying that senior pacer Mohammad Shami’s recent outburst at chief selector Ajit Agarkar means he doesn’t have clarity over his non-selection.
During the squad announcement presser, Agarkar had admitted that he was not aware of Shami’s current fitness status after the fast bowler was not picked for the England Test tour.
The fallout took an ugly turn after Agarkar questioned Shami’s fitness and form, adding that he plans to hold discussions soon to clear the air.
“I will say one thing frankly, everything in Indian cricket runs on indirect speech. I really wish that it would change. It has to change from both the players’ side and the selectors’ side as well," Ashwin said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
“What I have noticed is that if something indirect is said, it is bound to come out in the news. Look what Shami did. He performed and then talked in the press conference; there is nothing wrong with that," he added.
“But why is he (Shami) talking all of this? Because he doesn’t have clarity. But, at the same time, I really loved how Ajit Agarkar handled it. I really hope that phone call has happened," he continued.
Recently, Shami, whose last appearance for India was during the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph in March, ridiculed the selectors for not including him in the Indian cricket team's white-ball tour of Australia.
The 35-year-old claimed that his participation in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal demonstrated his fitness and that it was not his responsibility to inform the selection panel of this.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025 last Friday, Agarkar addressed the remark, saying: “If Shami were here, I would give him an answer. If he is fit, why wouldn’t we have a bowler like Shami?”
“I have had multiple chats with him. Over the last six to eight months, what we have found out is that he wasn’t fit. If he stays fit over the next few months, the story might be different, but he wasn’t fit to be picked for the England tour,” the chairman of selectors explained.
Shami then responded bluntly to Agarkar’s comments regarding his fitness. “Let him say whatever he wants. You’ve seen how I bowled. It’s all in front of your eyes,” he said while speaking to reporters after the third day’s play in the Ranji Trophy fixture between Bengal and Uttarakhand at the Eden Gardens.
Shami returned with figures of 3/37 and 4/38 across the two innings to power Bengal to an eight-wicket victory over Uttarakhand in the Ranji Trophy.