New Delhi: Former cricketer Ravi Shastri has blasted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for ignoring seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Despite having made his competitive return in November 2024, after being sidelined for almost an year due to an ankle injury, Shami was left out of the all-important Australia tour.

The comments made by the veteran Indian cricketer are an aftermath of the hammering India received at the hands of the Aussies in the BGT 2024-25, where skipped in the entire tournament going down 1-3 in the five-Test series.

India, thus failed to retain the coveted title, which had been in the kitty of the visitors since a decade. This was India’s second consecutive Test drubbing recently after have lost a Test series to New Zealand as well.

India managed Shami’s fitness poorly: Shastri

The former Indian head coach said that he was surprised in the way the Indian cricket team handled the fitness of the veteran pacer and also slammed the board over uncertainty on Shami’s fitness. It was quit shocking that Shami, who has been a regular feature in the domestic cricket for Bengal and took part in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

"To be honest, I was very surprised with the communication going on in the media as to what exactly happened to Mohammed Shami,” Shastri told ICC. "Where is he when it comes to recovery? He's been sitting in the NCA for I don't know how long. Why can't proper communication come out on where he stands? A player of his ability, I would have brought him to Australia,” he added.

Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, who acted as the wrecker-in-chief in Australia saving India’s pride on number of occasions, none of the other fast bowler could really show up in the tough situation, where a seasoned pacer like Shami would have been instrumental.