Mohammed Shami…raring to go.
| Photo Credit: File photo: K. MURALI KUMAR
Back in the Bengal side for its Ranji Trophy season opener against Uttarakhand, starting at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday, pacer Mohammed Shami — who was not selected for India’s upcoming tour of Australia — said he was fit to play one-dayers and it was not his duty to update selectors about his fitness.
Shami said his selection was not in his control. “If there is any fitness issue, then I should not be here. If I can play four-day (matches), then I can play 50-over (matches),” Shami told reporters on Tuesday.
Not my responsibility
About chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s reported statement (during the team announcement for the Australia tour) that he had no updates on Shami, the ace pacer said, “I have to go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA). I have to play matches. I have to do my preparation. This is my job. This is my responsibility. It is up to him as to who should give him updates. That is not my responsibility.”
Shami said he had been playing different tournaments, including the Champions Trophy, IPL, and the Duleep Trophy, and practising regularly. “If I get a chance to play, I will play…I don’t have any injury concerns. Everything is fine.”
Shami looked forward to bowling alongside another international pacer Akash Deep in a Ranji match. “Akash told me today that we haven’t played together yet. We have got a lot of experience. Akash, Mukesh (Kumar), Suraj (Jaiswal) and (Mohammed) Kaif, we have a solid bowling line-up. I hope that this bowling line-up will take Bengal forward,” said Shami.
Published – October 14, 2025 05:32 pm IST
