The star India National Cricket Team pacer Mohammed Shami had a conversation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCC selection committee, which is led by Ajit Agarkar, before his England tour snub.
During the chat, Mohammed Shami "didn't sound too confident" and was snubbed from the Test squad as the selectors didn't feel he was at peak fitness to handle the workload.
Mohammed Shami's performance in the Duleep Trophy to decide Test fateMohammed Shami will be playing the Duleep Trophy 2025 as he has been included in the East Zone squad, which will be led by Ishan Kishan.
Duleep Trophy 2025 is set to start on August 28, and Mohammed Shami will be seen in action in the very first game as the East Zone will lock horns with the North Zone.
He last played a first-class game for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy in November 2024. That was his comeback game after recovering from a severe injury that kept him out of action for a very long time.
The upcoming Duleep Trophy fixture will only be his second first-class appearance since his comeback, and the performances will decide his Test fate.
Mohammed Shami will look to make an impact in the match against North Zone because it might be his last opportunity to impress the selectors if East Zone don't progress further.
"In all probability, Shami will be playing the first game. He's busy with his preparation too at his academy back home in Amroha. He's getting ready," a source close to the pacer told The Telegraph.
Will his body permit, given his dodgy knee and hamstring? - BCCI InsiderA BCCI insider said that the selectors are keen to see if Mohammed Shami's body is fit enough to take the workload of a multi-day game.
"If Shami comes up with an impact-making performance against North Zone, the selectors will certainly take notice because his quality cannot be ruled out," a BCCI insider said, as quoted by The Telegraph.