Mohammed Shami recalls injury ordeal: There was a sense of fear even while running

IND vs ENG: Speedster Mohammed Shami talked about the challenges he faced while recovering from the injuries that kept him out of the national team since the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November 2023.

In Short

• Mohammed Shami has made his comeback for the Indian team
• Shami will play in the T20I series against England
• Shami hasn’t played international cricket since November 2023

Indian speedster Mohammed Shami recalled the tough times he went through while being out of competitive cricket for nearly a year due to injury concerns. After the ODI World Cup against India back in November 2023, the pacer will don the national jersey for the first time in the upcoming T20I series against England, starting January 22 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

During this while, Shami missed plenty of bilateral series and couldn’t play in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. On Wednesday, the BCCI uploaded a video where Shami can be seen flying a kite and talking about how he managed to recover from his injury.

“Doesn’t matter if it is flying a kite, bowling or driving a car, if you are strong and believe in yourself, then, I don’t think you will find any difference. Look even after 15 years, I am able to fly this kite. Hence, confidence is very important for any task,” Shami said.

‘If you work hard, you will get the result’

Shami has also been picked to play the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 19 to March 9. He made his comeback in the ongoing Ranji season and also played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The pacer said while he tried to make a comeback from injury, he became stronger, both mentally and physically.

“When you are scoring runs and taking wickets, everyone is with you. But the real test is to realise who is with you during tough times. I waited for an entire year and I worked very hard. There was a sense of fear even while running,” Shami said.

“It is difficult for any player to get injured after being in full flow, go to the NCA for rehabilitation and then make a comeback. When you go through injuries, I feel you grow stronger as an athlete because you have to repeat a lot of things while being mentally strong. Whatever is done, it is done. I have crossed that phase. If you work hard, you will get the result. That’s what I believe,” Shami added.

Shami was the leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps in the ODI World Cup, where India finished as the runner-up after losing to Pat Cummins’ Australia in the final. In 64 Tests, 101 ODIs and 23 T20Is, Shami has taken 448 wickets with 11 five-wicket hauls since making his debut back in 2013.