Shami last played for India in Champions Trophy 2025.
The fast bowler claimed that his participation in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal demonstrated his fitness and that it was not his responsibility to inform the selection committee of this. After the 2023 World Cup, Shami, who last played for India in the Champions Trophy victory, had to have surgery to treat recurrent knee and ankle ailments.
While reacting to the comment made by Shami, Agarkar said that the player would have been in the team had he been fit.
"If he says that to me, I will probably answer that. I mean, if he were here, I would probably do that. I am not quite sure what he said on social media. Maybe if I read that, I might give him a call, but my phone is always on for most players. I have had multiple chats with him over the last few months, but I don't want to try and give you a headline here," said Agarkar on NDTV.
“He has been an incredible performer for India. If he said something, maybe that is a conversation for me to have with him or for him to have with me. But even before England, we said if he was fit, he would have been on that plane. Unfortunately, he wasn't. Our domestic season has just started, so we will see if he is fit enough, and we will see where it goes. This is the first round of Ranji games that is going on. We will find out in a couple more games. If he is bowling well, why would you not want to have someone like Shami? But what we have found in the last six to eight months to a year, even during the Australia tour, is that we were desperate to have him on, but unfortunately his fitness wasn't there. If he does stay fit over the next few months, the story might be different. But at this point, as far as I know, he wasn't fit enough for that England tour," he added.
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