Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has publicly questioned the BCCI selection committee's decision to keep Mohammed Shami out of the national team, urging chief selector Ajit Agarkar to reconsider amid the pacer's blistering form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Speaking at an event on Monday, Ganguly highlighted Shami's recent exploits, where the 35-year-old has claimed 11 wickets in just three matches for Bengal, including a devastating 4/13 against Services and 4/34 against Haryana. "I’m sure the selectors are watching. I’m sure there is communication between Mohammed Shami and the selectors; I don’t know. But if you ask me, in terms of fitness and skills, it’s the Mohammed Shami we know of. So I really don’t see any reason why he can’t keep playing Test matches and one-day and T20 cricket for India because the skill is enormous," Ganguly stated, emphasising Shami's readiness across formats.

Shami's domestic resurgence has been nothing short of spectacular, silencing doubts about his fitness following ankle surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup. In the SMAT, his economy rate of under 7 and ability to dismantle top orders—such as restricting Services to 165 and Haryana to 191/9—have propelled Bengal to strong group-stage positioning. This comes on the heels of 20 wickets in four Ranji Trophy games earlier in the season, where he single-handedly turned matches for his state. Despite these heroics, Shami was overlooked for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and remains absent from white-ball squads, fuelling speculation of a deeper rift with the selectors.

The tension between Shami and Agarkar has simmered since the pacer's public outburst over "lack of communication" from the panel, particularly after being snubbed for the Australia ODI series despite proving his match fitness in domestic cricket. Agarkar had cited Shami's limited recent game time as a concern, but Ganguly's intervention—delivered with his characteristic candour—harks back to his own tenure as BCCI president, where he championed transparent player management. "Why can’t he play for India?" Ganguly's pointed query echoes sentiments from fans and analysts, who view Shami's exclusion as a missed opportunity in a transitional pace unit featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and emerging talents like Prasidh Krishna.

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Shami's last international outing was the Champions Trophy in March 2025, where he snared nine wickets in five games, but recurring injuries and a deliberate shift toward youth have kept him on the sidelines for seven months. Ganguly's advocacy arrives at a critical juncture, with India eyeing the 2027 ODI World Cup and a packed Test calendar, including the WTC final cycle. As Bengal eyes the SMAT knockouts, Shami's continued dominance could force the selectors' hand, bridging the communication gap and restoring one of India's most lethal weapons to the fold.

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