Indian pacer Mohammed Shami desires to be as patient like Rishabh Pant in pursuit of a return to international cricket. Shami’s comments come after he was spotted bowling to Shubman Gill in Bengaluru after the conclusion of first Test between India and New Zealand. After the footage went viral, he was rumored to be in fray for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Trophy 2024-25 against Australia.
Shami’s last competitive appearance came in the 2023 World Cup final, where India ended as the runner-up. The right-arm speedster emerged as the best bowler in the tournament with 24 wickets in seven games. However, he is said to have played through pain during the event and took injections to treat his ankle.
Thereafter, the 34-year-old underwent surgery in his right Achilles tendon which ruled him out of IPL 2024 as well. Recently, he bowled for around 45 minutes at M Chinnaswamy Stadium under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. Although, Shami was strapped heavily on his left knee, he did not look in discomfort.
On the sidelines of an event in Gurgaon on Monday, Shami expressed his happiness bowling at a full run-up after a long time. He also praised Pant’s positive attitude during his recovery after a horrific car accident in December 2022. Here’s what Shami said (via Indian Express):
“I had spent time with Rishabh at the National Cricket Academy, where he was doing the rehab after his injury. I have seen the images, which were so scary. What inspired me the most that I never saw him sad. All his ligaments were broken but he continued his rehab with a laugh on his face. It was a massive learning for me as well. His positive attitude taught me the importance of patience.”
Rohit Sharma’s wants fully fit Mohammed Shami in BGT 2024/25
Ahead of the opening Test between India and New Zealand. Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma shared his opinion about Mohammed Shami’s return to the team. As per the 37-year-old, it’s difficult for the team management to have a clear cut answer to Shami’s involvement in the BGT 2024/25.
Here’s what Rohit said about Shami’s return to Test setup (via ESPNcricinfo):
“Right now, it is pretty difficult for us to make a call on whether he will be fit for this series or the Australia series. “He was in the process of getting fit – getting close to 100% – and he had a swelling in his knee. That put him back a little bit in his recovery, so he had to start again fresh.”
Meanwhile, Shami reiterated his desire to feature for the Indian team in the much-awaited BGT 2024-25. According to the veteran pacer, he needs a couple of domestic games to prepare himself for bowling long overs and an approval from his doctor.
Mohammed Shami is expected to play in the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024/25 games for Bengal. The team’s next clash is against Kerala, which would also mark the presence of Sanju Samson.
