Age Not the Reason Behind Mohammed Shami’s Absence, Says Aakash Chopra

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has dismissed claims that senior India pacer Mohammed Shami is being left out of the national team because of his age. He said it would be unfair to cite age as the reason for excluding Shami when senior players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still being selected.

Thirty-six-year-old Shami has been out of the national team for the past one-and-a-half years after suffering repeated injuries. Against this backdrop, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has been leaning towards younger bowlers, leading to speculation that Shami’s career is nearing its end because of his age.Responding to the claims, Aakash Chopra said in a video, “Has age become a disadvantage for Shami? That is completely irrelevant. When experienced players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are being selected for the team, there is no logic in dropping someone solely because of age. In my assessment, age is not a factor at all in Shami’s selection. The selectors will give a reason someday, but it won’t be his age.”

Chopra also compared Shami with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc. “Starc has remained fully fit and continues to play consistently. Whenever he has been in the team, he has led the bowling attack from the front. There are no doubts about his form, fitness or sharpness,” he said. His comparison indirectly highlighted injuries and fitness as the major concerns surrounding Shami.Shami last played for India in the 2025 Champions Trophy final. Since then, he has struggled with a series of injuries and has remained unavailable for national selection.