NEW DELHI: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar on Tuesday said there has been no discussion about Mohammad Shami’s return to Test cricket, adding that the pacer is currently only “ready for T20 cricket” despite playing the entire domestic season.The comments came after the BCCI announced the Indian squads for the one-Test and three-match ODI series against the Afghanistan men’s cricket team in India in June. Shami was not included in any team. “No (discussing Shami’s Test return) as far as we are told that at the moment … his body is allowing him (to play), I know he has played the domestic season this year. But the information I have got is that at the moment it is T20 cricket that he is ready for. So there was no discussion about them,” Agarkar said while talking to reporters.The 35-year-old has been out of the national set-up for over a year despite returning to competitive cricket and enjoying a productive domestic season with Bengal, where he took 67 wickets.Shami last played for India during their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. His most recent ODI appearance was against New Zealand in the CT final in Dubai, which India won.His last Test for India came against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval in 2023. In T20Is, his last match for India was against England in Mumbai in early 2025.In the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy in February, Shami returned figures of 9 for 114 against Jammu and Kashmir, although Bengal suffered a defeat.In the ongoing season of IPL 2026, Shami had a good start but could not maintain the consistency. He has taken 10 wickets in 12 matches so far.Meanwhile, India’s Test squad for the Afghanistan match will be led by Shibman Gul, with KL Rahul replacing Rishabh Pant as the vice-captain. Senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been rested for the Test, while Manav Sathar, Gurnor Brar and Harsh Dubey have been named in the squad.India’s Test Squad: Shibman Gill (captain), Yashvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Dev Dutt Padikal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Siraj, Parsed Krishna, Manav Sathar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Harsh Dubey.
