Mohammed Shami, the veteran Indian pacer, shared inspirational excerpts about his return to international cricket. After being out for over a year, the pacer is expected to make his return in Kolkata on Wednesday during the T20I series against England.
In a talk show broken down by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shami said he was scared the moment he was forced off the field. He added that it would be difficult for a player with his profile and form to go off the field and then go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for rehabilitation.
The veteran Indian pacer had a run to remember in the ODI World Cup 2023 hosted on home soil. He picked up 24 wickets in just seven games, helping take India to the final. Since then, however, he has struggled with injuries and had to undergo surgery on his ankle as he faced a series of setbacks on his road to recovery.
“I worked hard for one year, meant, I was scared. What’s going to happen, what’s not? It is really difficult for any player to be in rhythm and get injured. Get back to the NCA for rehab and then come back,” Shami confided.
“I know we have crossed that bridge, it has happened. Whatever has happened is a deed done. The final judge will be our Creator. If you work hard, then you will get the fruit. And I always believe that,” he added.
The 34-year-old said his successful recovery stemmed from both his resilience and his obstinacy. In addition, he always keeps fighting to return to cricket’s greatest stage to represent his country; this affords him an additional inspiration.
“We learn to walk as we fall and get up, but we never stop trying. Thus, we should not give up stubbornness. You should stand up again after a fall, and in a similar profession, the misfortune should not shatter your spirit; instead, try for your team and country,” he concluded.
Shami’s performance in the forthcoming white-ball matches will be vital to the BCCI selectors, who will keep a very close eye on both performance and fitness in the lead-up to the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. With Jasprit Bumrah constantly missing matches with a fitness issue, it becomes all the more needed that Shami stays in fine form and presence in the squad for the team if it expects to venture far in the tournament.
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