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India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar has broken his silence on the absence of Mohammed Shami from the Test squad for the upcoming England tour.
The 33-year-old, one of India’s most reliable red-ball performers, was expected to play a crucial role in the high-stakes five-Test series.
However, the BCCI has confirmed that Shami has been ruled out due to a fresh injury setback.
BCCI selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar addressed the media after the squad announcement and provided clarity on the exclusion of Mohammed Shami.
“He’s had a bit of a setback over the past week and got some MRIs done. He was not going to be able to play five Tests,” Agarkar explained.
“We don’t think his workload is where it needs to be. The medical team has confirmed that he’ll be unavailable.
“We were hoping he could play some part, but if he’s not fit, we’d rather pick players who are ready and available.”
It’s worth noting that Mohammed Shami has been a key figure in India’s pace attack for years, with 229 wickets in 64 Tests at an average of 27.71.
The BCCI also officially announced Shubman Gill as India’s new Test captain, marking the beginning of a fresh era in Indian cricket.
The 25-year-old replaces Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from the format along with veterans Virat Kohli and R Ashwin.
Gill will lead India for the first time in a challenging five-match series against England, with the first Test scheduled at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20.
The remaining matches will be played at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.
India squad for the Test series against England
Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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