BCCI official lays it bare for Mohammed Shami after Ajit Agarkar stays silent on India return; star eyes Ranji route

Days after being snubbed for the Asia Cup, Shami admitted that he still yearns to make a return to the Indian team with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup. Earlier this year, he demonstrated that he remains a threat in the 50-over format, following his performance in the Champions Trophy, where he picked up nine wickets in five games at 25.89 - the joint-most for India. However, when chief selector Ajit Agarkar, at the time of the announcement of the squad for the Australia tour, was asked about the fast bowler, he said he had "no update" regarding Shami.

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According to a report in The Telegraph, the BCCI is unlikely to recall Shami, not only because he is 35 years old but also due to his declining performances. His only performance since the start of the domestic season was in the Duleep Trophy, where he finished with a match haul of 1/136, bowling 34 overs for East Zone in Bengaluru.

"At this moment, it's getting increasingly tougher for Shami to return to the Indian team. In the Duleep game too, he wasn't too impressive, barring one odd spell.

"Besides, he isn't getting any younger, while pace-wise, too, he didn't seem to be at his best in Duleep. But to continue in the IPL, he has to play a decent amount of domestic games," a BCCI official said.

The report, however, revealed that Shami has made himself available for Bengal's Ranji Trophy campaign, which will begin on October 15, against Uttarakhand at Eden Gardens.

"I had spoken to Shami six-seven days back, and he had expressed his desire to play. So, on our front, we're optimistic as far as his availability (in the Ranji opener) is concerned," Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla said.

However, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will take the final call on Tuesday, when the members will meet to decide the Bengal squad for the opening few games. "We'll sit with Laxmi and discuss all the related aspects most likely on Tuesday," a senior CAB office-bearer said.

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