BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has issued a big statement, expressing his displeasure over Mohammed Shami not being given a chance to play for India despite his good record and years of experience in Australia.
The current BCCI chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has faced criticism on several occasions when he was criticized for his controversial selections. One of the most serious criticisms came after Shreyas Iyer was dropped from the Asia Cup squad.
Although Mohammed Shami’s condemnation has not been voiced by former cricketers or fans, it seems that it is definitely a headache for the player. He has claimed in several social media posts and interviews that he is 100 per cent fit and has simply been unfairly ignored.
Ajit Agarkar claims chief selector’s job is most challenging in his life
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, the BCCI chief selector was asked about his career experience as he has worked as a player, a commentator and now also a chief selector. He was asked to compare the three, to which Agarkar readily admitted that the biggest challenge has been the selector’s job, while the playing days were very satisfying.
“I would probably go for the easy one first. Being a commentator, and I mean no disrespect, you still work hard, spend hours on the field. As long as you find the right words, your job as a commentator is done,” Agarkar said at the NDTV World Summit 2025.
He said, “Playing gives you the most satisfaction. Every time you come out on the field, you know your job is at stake. One thing that matters to you as a player is that the ball or the bat is in your hand. As a selector, once you pick a team of 15 people, there is nothing else in your hand. It is a challenging, hectic, high-demand job. You cannot please everyone.”
“This game is so popular in India that there will be people who will criticize your decisions” – Ajit Agarkar
To prove his claim, Ajit Agarkar further said; He reflected on the fact that when one does such an important job as the chief selector of BCCI, the burden increases.
“It’s a good problem to have to select so many players. It improves the level of competition and keeps the performance level high. The game is so popular in India that there will be people who will criticize your decisions. The number of fans has increased manifold over the years.”
The selector was also asked whether he considered paying attention to criticism and trends on social media. “I don’t want to. It’s a no-win situation. We watch a lot of cricket during the year,” Agarkar said.
“If he was fit, he would have been on the plane” – Ajit Agarkar’s big claim about Mohammed Shami’s fitness
After Mohammed Shami’s brutal attack on the BCCI selector, he took a dig at the fast bowler at the NDTV World Summit 2025. Ajit Agarkar said that if the player was fit, he would have been in the team as well. This was similar to the statement given before the England tour.
Agarkar said, “If he said that to me, I would probably answer it. I mean, if he were here, I probably would. I’m not quite sure what he said on social media. If I read it, I might call him, but my phone is always on for all the players. I’ve had conversations with him a few times over the last few months, but I don’t want to try to give you the headlines here.”
He said, “He has been an incredible player for India. If he has said something, maybe it is for me to have a chat with him or he has to do it with me. But even before England, we had said that if he was fit, he would have been on the plane. Unfortunately, he was not and our domestic season has just started.”
Also read: Asia Cup 2025 trophy still locked in Dubai; Mohsin Naqvi will boycott ICC meeting
