The exclusion of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami from India's squad for the upcoming One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand has sparked controversy, with Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla openly criticizing the selectors' decision. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-man squad on Saturday, with Shubman Gill as captain and Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain (subject to fitness clearance), but Shami's name was notably absent.
Shukla voiced his displeasure, describing the decision as "shameful" and an "injustice" to Shami, who last represented India in March 2025 during the Champions Trophy. He argued that the selectors are sending the wrong message to domestic performers by overlooking Shami, especially considering his dedication to domestic cricket. "The selection committee has done injustice with Mohammed Shami. No international player has played domestic cricket with as much dedication as Shami in the recent past. Even after toiling hard in domestic, what the selection committee has done with Shami is shameful," Shukla told Revsportz.
Shami, 35, has been actively participating in domestic cricket, showcasing his form and fitness. He was Bengal's second-highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy and the leading wicket-taker in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, Shami has claimed 11 wickets in five games. His most recent performance against Assam saw him register figures of 3 for 55.
The selection committee, led by Chairman Ajit Agarkar, has opted to invest in younger pace options for the New Zealand series, including Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna. While Agarkar had previously stated that fitness concerns were the primary reason for Shami's absence, his recent domestic performances suggest otherwise. With the ICC Men's T20 World Cup on the horizon, Hardik Pandya is being rested to manage his workload. Jasprit Bumrah is also being rested.
Shami's personal coach also expressed his frustration and questioned what more the pacer could do to earn a recall. "What more can a player do? How many more wickets should the player take?" Shami's coach told India Today. He also expressed concern that the selectors might have moved on from Shami.
The decision to exclude Shami raises questions about the balance between experience and youth in the Indian squad. While the BCCI may be focused on long-term planning and building depth by giving opportunities to younger bowlers, overlooking an experienced player like Shami, who has consistently performed for the national team, has drawn criticism.
Shami has played 64 Test matches, taking 229 wickets. In 108 ODIs, he has 241 wickets. He also has 27 wickets in 25 T20Is. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2023 ICC World Cup, with 24 wickets in 7 innings. He also has over 100 IPL wickets.
The ODI series against New Zealand, consisting of three matches, is scheduled to be played from January 11 to 18. The matches will be held in Vadodara, Rajkot and Indore.
India's ODI squad for New Zealand series: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC; subject to fitness clearance), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
