Mohammed Shami advised to ‘stop analysing’ how Agarkar, Gambhir view him: ‘Up to him to decide how…’

Last year, there was also a back-and-forth between Shami and Agarkar after the former was ignored for the West Indies Tests. The chairman of the selection committee said that Shami wasn't picked because he wasn't fit; however, Shami represented Bengal soon after this statement and fired shots, saying it was not his job to provide a fitness clearance to the selectors.

As Shami continues to remain on the fringes, Zaheer advised Shami not to focus on the uncontrollables and rather give consistent performances in domestic cricket.

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"He has to continue doing what's in his hands. It's up to him to decide how he wants to go ahead. If he's playing, it means he is available for the 2027 ODI World Cup. That's how I see it, but I am not sure how the team management is looking at him,” Zaheer told journalist Vimal Kumar.

"He has to just look at how he can contribute and do what's within his control. He can't analyse how the team's management views him, as it's outside his control. And to his credit, Shami is doing what's in his control, which is playing matches and performing," he added.

His childhood coach, Badruddin, recently stated that Shami remains motivated to return to the national setup. “He still has cricket left. He is ready, and if the country needs him, he will be ready to serve,” he said in a media interaction.

Badruddin also highlighted how the pacer can come in handy for the team management in 2027 for the ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

“It is not easy to bowl in South Africa. You need experience there,” he said.

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