“Itna hype ban gaya hai, ab to mann kar raha hai khelne ka," beams Mohammed Shami after being repeatedly asked about his injury status and timeline of his India return. It’s been nearly a year since the ace pacer last played any competitive match with the 2023 ODI World Cup final, on November 19, being his last. An ankle injury put him out of action that required him to undergo surgery.
Recently there were reports that he has developed a swollen knee which could further delay his comeback that was originally planned for the ongoing three-Test series against New Zealand at home. The news spread like wildfire and speculations around his availability for the highly anticipated tour of Australia began doing the rounds. It irked Shami so much so that he took to social media to clarify the rumours.
The explanation-cum-warning from Shami were over speculations over his participation in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with more reports citing a tiny possibility of him being part of the tour.
News18 CricketNext sought the answer to this million-dollar question from the star India pacer himself and his response was affirmative.
Shami says he’s raring to go full tilt and hoping India will make it a hat-trick of series win Down Under.
“I’m 100% prepared for Australia. I’m trying my best to get into top shape. My aim is to achieve full fitness, aur jaakar hum Australia mein halla bolein (hoping to have a blast in Australia). People have been speaking a lot about it, they have too many questions… let’s turn it into reality and win the BGT again. Mann mein feel aata hai ki teesri baar bhi kar ke ate hain (We are hopeful of winning it third time in a row)," Shami told this website on the sidelines of an event organized by Eugenix Hair Sciences in Gurugram.
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On Sunday, the right-arm quick was spotted bowling at full pelt at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru after the conclusion of the first Test between India and New Zealand. Shami wishes to have some game time after he gets the clearance from the BCCI’s medical team.
He said he would like to play a Ranji match, if possible, before boarding the flight to Australia. “The only thing I want to focus on is how to keep myself fit, and how strong I can be before going there. If I get fit, get a gap of eight to ten days, then it’s better I play one or two domestic matches before going to Australia," Shami said.
Mohammed Shami, with splendid hair, now bowling as he continues his rehab. pic.twitter.com/prtnEgmtl5— Swaroop Swaminathan (@arseinho) October 20, 2024
Bitter Memories of Pink Ball Test
Last time when India played a Pink-ball Test in Australia, a forgettable chapter was added to India’s Test history. The Virat Kohli-led side was bundled out for 36 in the second inning of the Adelaide fixture and eventually, lost the series opener by 8 wickets. But what unfolded next has been etched in golden letters in the history books. India bounced back from the Adelaide horror to win the series 2-1.
The upcoming Australia tour, which comprises five Tests this time around, also has a day-night fixture at the same venue. But Shami isn’t bothered much about it as he says – ‘Ball ka colour matter nahi karta (Colour of the ball doesn’t matter)’.
“I have always said this: whatever the colour of the ball, your approach should be the same which in turn will give you similar results. I admit there’s more swing and bounce, the weather is a little different but you must have faith in your skills," he said.
Is Shami hoping for a BGT hat-trick Down Under? He said, “We are hopeful and will try our best. You guys should pray too. This has become quite big. Our boys won there twice in a row, we should appreciate that too. In 2018 we won for the first time and then in 2020 (we won despite) half of our seniors absent. This time, a full-strength India will manage to prevail again."
The Hazards of Social Media
The news of his injury wasn’t the only instance that forced Shami to issue a clarification on social media.
A couple of months ago, Shami took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify his comments on Virat Kohli which were linked to Amit Mishra. The 34-year-old took screenshots of the news report and requested it to be taken down citing ‘fake news’.
“I have requested several times that, before sharing anything, please confirm," Shami said. “Everyone is on social media these days. People have a right to speak but that doesn’t give them the freedom to say anything. People should think before saying anything so as to not be hurtful to others. My only request is to please confirm before sharing anything on social media," he added.
Regaining mind-body connection a challenge
It’s been exactly 11 months since Shami last appeared in India colours. He missed out on the entire domestic season followed by the IPL, the T20 World Cup and the 2024-25 home season which got underway last month. All this while he has been focusing on his rehabilitation, and rekindling the connection between his mind and the body.
Shami says the process is indeed frustrating but is a test of an athlete who has been away from the field for a long time. “It’s difficult but this is also a test. Whether it’s physical or mental, you have to go through a test. As a player, when you are going through a serious injury, staying patient is paramount. If you can control it, positive results will follow," Shami said.
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