‘Don't think age is the factor,' Aakash Chopra on Mohammed Shami's India snub; cites Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma example

Mohammed Shami’s prospects of making a return to the Indian team have once again come under scrutiny, with former India opener Aakash Chopra insisting that age alone cannot explain the veteran pacer’s continued absence from the national side.

Shami, 36, has been out of international cricket since March 2025 and has endured a series of injury setbacks in recent years.

He underwent surgery before returning to domestic cricket, and while he has continued to take wickets, questions over his pace, sharpness and ability to maintain the intensity required at international level have remained.

Chopra, however, believes the discussion should not be reduced to Shami’s age. He pointed to India’s continued selection of senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both older than the fast bowler, while explaining why he feels Shami’s situation is different from that of Australia’s Mitchell Starc.

Chopra compares Shami to Starc

“There is a stark difference between Mohammed Shami and Mitchell Starc. Starc has remained fit and played continuously, and whenever he has returned to action, he has spearheaded the Australian attack. No question can be raised over his form, fitness and sharpness,” Chopra said in a video posted by CREX.

Chopra acknowledged that Shami’s career has been disrupted by injuries. The pacer spent time away from the game following surgery before working his way back through domestic cricket.

According to Chopra, the concern is therefore not simply how old Shami is, but whether he has been able to consistently operate at his best since returning.

“Mohammed Shami, on the other hand, has had injuries. He had a surgery and then spent time out of action. When he returned to domestic cricket, there were question marks over his pace and whether he was in full swing. He did take wickets, but that intensity appeared to be lacking,” he added.

Shami has nevertheless continued to build his case in domestic cricket. Earlier this year, Chopra had highlighted the pacer’s 37 wickets in the Ranji Trophy while discussing his prospects of returning to India’s ODI setup.

Shami subsequently featured for East Zone in the 2026 Duleep Trophy final, a match that also marked his 100th first-class appearance.

Chopra had previously suggested that Shami had a slightly stronger case than Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a potential 2027 ODI World Cup return because of his workload in red-ball cricket.

However, he also noted that Bhuvneshwar had outperformed Shami in the IPL when the two were compared directly. The former India batter has now reiterated that age should not be considered the decisive factor behind Shami’s exclusion.

“Is Shami's age going against him? I think that would be preposterous. It makes no sense whatsoever to drop someone because of his age, because you are still selecting veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma,” Chopra said.

“I don't think age is the factor. At some point, the selectors will spell out the reason, but I don't think it is age,” he concluded.

Shami’s international future therefore remains dependent on his performances, fitness and the selectors’ plans for India’s fast-bowling unit.

With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, his domestic performances will continue to be closely watched as he attempts to force his way back into contention.