‘Injustice’: Bengal coach slams BCCI for Mohammad Shami’s omission from NZ ODI squad; calls decision ‘shameful’ | Cricket News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11, with Shubman Gill named captain.Shreyas Iyer has been appointed vice-captain, though his participation will depend on fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (COE).Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has returned to the ODI squad. However, Mohammed Shami has not been selected despite featuring regularly in domestic cricket in recent months, indicating that the selectors may be moving on from the senior pacer.Reacting to Shami’s omission, Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla criticised the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee. Shukla said that Shami had shown more commitment to domestic cricket than any other international player and described the decision as unfair.“The selection committee has done an injustice to Mohammed Shami. No international player has played domestic cricket with as much dedication as Shami in the recent past. Even after toiling hard in domestic cricket, what the selection committee has done with Shami is shameful,” Shukla said on Saturday (January 3), as quoted by Revsportz.Shami last represented India in the ODI format during the 2025 Champions Trophy, where his performances played a role in India winning the title. He dealt with fitness concerns before and after the tournament but has since returned to action, picking up 11 wickets in five matches at an average of 22.27. On the day the squad was announced, Shami registered figures of 3/55 and also scored an unbeaten 25 against Assam.For the New Zealand series, India have selected four frontline pacers — Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh. Siraj did not feature in the previous ODI series against South Africa.