India pacer Mohammed Shami reminisced about rehabbing after his knee surgery, which sidelined him from competitive cricket for nearly a year. Shami is known for his powerful performances, and his muscle was on show for India during its 2023 ODI World Cup. Still, his show was brilliant; playing with an injury, he went on to have surgery once the tournament was over. He missed out on the 2024 T20 World Cup when India won and last year’s crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Shami recovered from ankle surgery to make a comeback in the field for Bengal in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in November. He also joined Bengal’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad, and his impressive fitness ensured his numbers would be on show. His hard work and perseverance on the domestic circuit secured him a place in the team management’s and selectors’ trust to make it to the Champions Trophy squad next month.
On his rehabilitation journey, Shami chatted about the psychological impact of his injury and recovery. But he said he sometimes felt fearful while running, a far cry from the confidence he usually plays with on the field. “Everyone’s with you when you are scoring runs and taking wickets. The real test here is to live through tough times, and then see who was with you. I waited for an entire year and worked very hard. While running, there was a sense of fear too,” Shami said in a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Shami also spoke about how injuries and rehab help add to the mental steel that an athlete possesses. But in the end, winning these sorts of challenges makes them stronger, he said.
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