India vs South Africa test series starts from tomorrow. The first Test match will be played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata from November 14, which will start at 9:30 am Indian time. In the last few months, there has been a lot of discussion on the name of Mohammed Shami, who has not been able to return to Team India after the Champions Trophy. Shami himself has been claiming to be completely fit, but has been continuously dropped from the Indian squad. Now before the first test match of India-South Africa (IND vs SA 1st Test), captain Shubman Gill has given a big statement about Shami.

Big statement on Mohammed Shami

Before the India vs South Africa first Test match, Shubman Gill said, “There are not many bowlers of his caliber. But you also have to keep an eye on the bowlers who are playing right now. Akashdeep, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, all of them have shown excellent performance. Sometimes it is very difficult to take decisions when bowlers like Shami Bhai have to sit out. We have to think about the future as well, especially when you are going on a foreign tour.”

Second question postponed on Shami

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill was also asked whether Mohammed Shami is included in the future plans of Team India or not. Will he return in the upcoming series or not? Captain Gill avoided this question and said that the selectors would be able to answer this question better than him.

Mohammed Shami is currently wreaking havoc in Indian domestic cricket. So far, he has played 2 matches in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, in which he has taken 15 wickets. The most important thing is that amidst questions being raised about his fitness, he has bowled long bowling spells for Bengal.

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Mohammed Shami has not returned to Team India since the Champions Trophy. On one hand Shami says that he is completely fit, on the other hand Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar said that Shami was not selected due to not being completely fit. Shami was not even selected in the Test series against West Indies after the England tour. Now he has not been selected even for the South Africa Test series. Amidst the ongoing controversy regarding Shami’s selection, a BCCI spokesperson has given a big statement.

According to news agency PTI, a BCCI spokesperson said, “It has happened many times when the selectors and the support staff of the BCCI Center of Excellence have inquired about the fitness of Mohammed Shami. The selection committee wanted to take him to England, because Jasprit Bumrah was not going to play more than three Tests. Who would not want a bowler of Shami’s caliber in the conditions of England?”

India vs South Africa test series starts from 14th November. Mohammed Shami has not been selected in the Team India squad for this series also. On this, the source said, “A narrative has been set that no contact was made with Shami, this is absolutely not true. The Sports Science team has his medical report, which tells whether Shami can bear the burden of international matches or not.”

Strong comeback in Ranji Trophy

Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami has made a comeback in the domestic red ball tournament Ranji Trophy. He has shown match-winning performances in both the matches so far for Bengal. Shami has taken 15 wickets in just 2 matches of Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday evening announced the team for the Test series against South Africa. Rishabh Pant returned to the team as vice-captain under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, Akash Deep was also included but once again fast bowler Mohammed Shami was ignored. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on him along with Pant. Shami was seen with selector RP Singh in Ranji Trophy, after which the discussion on him intensified.

Last time, the reason for Mohammed Shami’s exclusion was fitness. Shami is currently playing for Bengal team in Ranji Trophy, where he took 7 wickets against Uttarakhand and 8 wickets against Gujarat. After taking 15 wickets in 2 matches, it seemed that Shami could be included in the Test series against South Africa, but it did not happen.

Gambhir-Agarkar criticized on social media

A fan wrote on social media, “This management is ignoring older players. We have examples of this, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ashwin and now Shami.” Another fan wrote, “There is no place for Mohammed Shami in the Indian team for the South Africa Test! It is difficult to be like Mohammed Shami, he deserves better than this.”

One fan wrote, “Why is Mohammed Shami not in the team? Is his fitness a matter of concern despite all the hard work in Ranji Trophy and other competitions? Could this be the end of Shami playing for India?”

why is @MdShami11 not in the squad?

Is his fitness still a concern even after his hard work in the Ranji Trophy and other competitions?

Could this be the end of Mohammed Shami’s time playing for India?#MohammedShami #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/z2nI0ipjhL

— Rohit Sharma Fan (@hitmanfanfollow) November 5, 2025

No Mohammed Shami for South Africa Tests!

He’s played all three Ranji Trophy games for Bengal this season, picking 15 wickets at 15.53, SR 37.2#Shami #INDvSA

— Vishwa Prakash Yadav (@vishwaprakash09) November 5, 2025

India’s test squad against South Africa

Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper, vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammad Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep.

A big update has come on the fitness of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami. He is completely fit and at the peak of his game. Shami himself has said many times that he has no fitness related problems now, unfortunately he has not returned to Team India after Champions Trophy 2025. Some time ago, Team India’s Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar had said that Shami has not been selected in the team due to not being completely fit.

After Ajit Agarkar’s claim, Shami himself came to the media and said that had he been unfit, he would not have been playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy. Shami has bowled 68 overs so far in 2 Ranji Trophy matches and has bowled long spells. The most noteworthy thing is that he has taken 15 wickets in just 2 Ranji matches. On an average he has bowled 34 overs in a match.

No doubt, Shami completely fit

Now Abhishek Porel, who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket, has supported his team member Shami. Speaking to Inside Sport, Porel said, “He is at the peak of his game. He is not injured in any way right now. It is not that he is going out of the field after bowling a spell. He is completely fit. I do not think he has any injury right now.”

Abhishek Porel has so far played both the Ranji matches of the current season with Mohammed Shami. He further said, “The spells he has bowled in the last two matches have been extremely extraordinary. Only a select few bowlers in the world are able to bowl such spells. As he did on the morning of the fourth day in the match against Uttarakhand. Looking at that spell of his, it was clear what is the difference between a domestic and a legend bowler.”

Let us tell you that India will host South Africa after returning from Australia tour. India vs South Africa 2 test match series will start from 14th November. Shami can return to that series once he is fully fit.

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Mohammed Shami has not been able to make a place in the national team since the Champions Trophy. A few days ago, the fast bowler had given a big statement saying that BCCI did not contact him for information about his fitness. Whereas Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar had said that Shami is not in the team due to fitness. Now Shami is dominating the Ranji Trophy, he took 7 wickets in the first match and 8 wickets in the second match against Gujarat. He took 5 wickets in the second innings, after which he said a big thing while talking to the media.

Responding to Agarkar’s statement, Mohammed Shami had said, “It is not my responsibility to give updates on my fitness, my job is to go to NCA, prepare and play the matches, it is their matter who gives them updates, who does not. It is not my responsibility.”

Responding to this, Agarkar had said that he had talked to Shami about his not being selected and if he has any problem then he will talk to him again. Agarkar also said that the BCCI medical team does not feel that he is ready to play international matches. Responding to this, Shami had earlier said, “Let them say whatever they want.”

Chief selector and Mohammed Shami were seen face to face, meanwhile recently appointed BCCI selector (Central Zone) RP Singh went to meet Shami during the Ranji Trophy match, he was seen talking to Shami.

What did Mohammed Shami say after taking 5 wickets against Gujarat?

After taking 5 wickets against Gujarat in Ranji Trophy, Bengal player Mohammed Shami exercised restraint while talking to journalists and took care not to say anything controversial. He said, “

I am always in controversies, you (media) have made me such a bowler. If I speak, there will be an uproar. What should I say now? I can’t blame you, everyone does it. People say anything even on social media.”