Ahead of India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand, former India opener Aakash Chopra has said that Mohammad Shami wouldn’t return to the Indian team’s lineup, much like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, just because Ajit Agarkar is no longer the chairman of selectors as well. He shared that he has spoken to the selectors, and all of them are on the same page as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “If Bhuvi has come, will Shami also come? Many people are saying that Bhuvi came as soon as Ajit left, and that Shami would also come. I think we will be fooling ourselves if we feel that one guy was stopping everyone, that only he was resisting and everyone else wanted to pick them.”

“It cannot be like that. It is not possible because it is a five-member selection committee, and I can actually vouch that I have spoken to the selectors, and all of them are on the same page. So, it’s not like the chairman randomly said it and everyone was agreeing,” he further added.

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However, Aakash Chopra said that the New Zealand tour is potentially Mohammad Shami’s last chance to return to India’s ODI side.

“There are discussions that Shami’s name might come in the ODI team. I am not saying that it cannot come, but will it come because of Ajit Agarkar leaving? That I don’t agree. However, the big thing is that this is your last opportunity if you are looking at the 2027 World Cup because when after this? Will it be against Sri Lanka or Zimbabwe, and then BGT, which he might not play, and then the IPL?” he said.

“If you don’t decide here, it will be too late. So will Mohammad Shami actually be back? I don’t have any inside information. I met RP Singh in Lucknow. I don’t ask these questions. Even if he tells me, I won’t tell it here. Not outside the realm of possibilities, but we really don’t know whether it would happen or not,” Chopra concluded.