Senior India pacer Mohammed Shami was the heart and soul of India’s campaign in the 2023 ODI World Cup but didn’t play any competitive cricket for 13 months after that. Now fit and match-ready, Shami is raring to go as India aim to add another ICC title to its kitty.
India pacer Mohammed Shami has had a tumultuous journey of back and forth with injuries, relapse and multiple rehabs to stand where he is today ahead of yet another ICC event in the ODI format. Shami was the star of India’s terrific ODI World Cup campaign but was missing from action for a large part of 14 months post that. It was a careful, well-planned and procedural return to action for Shami slowly and gradually as he built his workload ground up with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and then even a Ranji match.
For India too, Shami wasn’t rushed with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and had to wait before being put into the T20Is against England followed by a couple of ODIs. Now raring to go for yet another ICC event, Shami is just glad that he is able to walk and run and play for India again after seeing his hopes shatter a bit, get delayed and then eventually finding them back.
“From being in great form during the World Cup to suddenly finding myself on the operating table from that form to being injured was really tough,” Shami told the ICC before India’s first match against Bangladesh.
“My first question to the doctor was ‘how many days until I can be back on the field’. He said my priority is to get you to walk, then jog and then run and thinking about playing competitive cricket is still a distant goal.
“I always wondered when I would be able to put my feet on the ground again someone who is used to running on the field constantly was now in crutches.
“A lot of thoughts used to run through my mind. Will I be able to do it again? Will I be able to walk without a limp?
“For the first two months I often doubted whether I would be able to play again as an injury like this followed by a 14-month break can pull you down,” Shami added. In a BCCI video during the England series, Shami mentioned that long injury layoffs can build up simmering fear inside any athlete. Shami was scared of getting injured as he took his first run after being declared fit by the NCA. But slowly he got back to bowling at full tilt.
Shami still lacked the zip and skiddiness that he is known for in the two ODIs he played but his seam presentation was back to it usual and India will hope that he can pick up from where left 15 months ago at an ICC event around 2000 kms apart.
