"Mohammed Shami Doesn't Need Anything To Prove"- Bharat Arun's Blunt Take

Bharat Arun Defends Mohammed Shami Amid India Snub [Source: AFP]Indian selectors once again ignored veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami for the New Zealand series. However, coach Bharat Arun has come to his defense, saying Shami has nothing to prove.Shami has been struggling to stay fit since the 2023 World Cup. He endured a heel injury but made a comeback in the 2025 Champions Trophy. But despite consistent performance, he was overlooked for bilateral series.Bharat Arun comes to Mohammed Shami’s defenceSince the Champions Trophy, Mohammed Shami has repeatedly proved his fitness by playing several domestic tournaments across formats. In Ranji Trophy, particularly, the pacer picked 37 wickets in 7 innings at an average of 16.72.However, despite this, when India’s squad for the upcoming T20I series vs New Zealand was released, Shami failed to find a spot. Amid this, former coach Bharat Arun, speaking at a Sony Sports event, came to Shami’s rescue.ALSO READFormer India Coach Directly Clashes With BCCI Over Mohammed Shami SnubHe said that Mohammed Shami has a proven international record. Hence, he doesn’t need to showcase his credibility again.“Well, to answer what Shami should be doing, I don't think Shami needs to prove himself. You either pick him on form or you don't. That's, that's going to be the case of Mohammed Shami. Shami does not need to prove what he can do to be picked into the Indian team. He's proved enough across all formats,” Arun said.He added that selectors should judge Shami based on his current form and suitability for the team, rather than asking him to repeatedly prove his ability, especially fitness.The curious case of Shami’s ousterHaving said that, fans are equally puzzled as to what is leading to Mohammed Shami’s constant snub if he is performing in domestic cricket. The selectors’ regime under Ajit Agarkar’s leadership believed that the pacer is not fit enough to sustain the physical demands of international cricket.However, Shami countered the claim, saying that playing red-ball cricket consistently is more than enough proof of his fitness. Even in the opening game of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season, Shami picked up a 4-wicket-haul.Yet, he was snubbed from the New Zealand series. Interestingly, while Shami was ignored, Bhuvneshwar Kumar did find a place in India’s squad, thus making a comeback after 4 years.Hence, fans asked a legitimate question. If Bhuvneshwar is fit and suitable for a comeback, why not Mohammed Shami? This is something that the selection committee and the Indian team management will have to answer for if things go south before 2027 World Cup.ALSO READTilak Varma Reveals What Happened During Controversial Run Out In IND vs WI 3rd T20I