4 days ago
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Ajit Agarkar, the main selector of India’s men’s cricket team, has stated that Mohammed Shami was not considered for the Afghanistan bid due to the fact that the seasoned pacer is lone disposable for T20 cricket for now. Agarkar besides mentioned that Auqib Nabi came precise adjacent to his maiden Test call-up.
“As acold arsenic we person been told, astatine this point, his assemblage is allowing him to [play lone the shortest format]. I cognize helium has played the home play this year. But the accusation I person is that, astatine this point, T20 cricket is what helium is acceptable for. So, determination was nary treatment regarding Shami’s selection,” Agarkar said aft the announcement of India’s squad for the lone Test and 3 ODI bid against Afghanistan astatine home.
Shami, a seasoned of 197 planetary caps crossed formats, past featured successful India colours during the Champions Trophy last successful March 2025.
With Harshit Rana and Akash Deep injured and the selectors deciding to remainder Jasprit Bumrah, Auqib Nabi – the Jammu & Kashmir medium-pacer who was 1 of the stars of the Ranji Trophy play – was expected to gain a maiden call-up to the Test squad. However, the selectors went for Gurnoor Brar arsenic the back-up pacer down Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
“There is ever a chat astir idiosyncratic who has done good the past mates of seasons. You bash not needfully prime a batch of seamers erstwhile you prime a Test squad successful India. And helium was close,” Agarkar said.
“But astatine this point, we person gone with the 3 that we person picked. But determination was surely a chat astir Nabi. There is nary doubt. He has had immoderate unthinkable performances for Jammu & Kashmir.”
Nabi – with a combined tally of 104 wickets successful the past 2 Ranji campaigns, including a whopping 60 wickets past play – volition person to hold for his chance.
