India pacer Mohammed Shami is aiming for a comeback into the national team after being sidelined since November 2023 due to an ankle injury. Shami last represented India during the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia, which the Rohit Sharma-led side lost. Despite carrying an injury throughout the tournament, Shami emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps in seven matches.
His injury, however, kept him out for the remainder of the year, missing major events like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the T20 World Cup, which India won in his absence.
In a recent interaction, Mohammed Shami’s friend Umesh Kumar revealed details about the pacer’s rigorous preparation regime and his love for mutton. “Shami can bear everything, but Shami cannot survive without mutton. He can tolerate it for one day, you will see him agitated on the second day, and will lose his mind on the third. If he doesn’t eat 1kg mutton daily, his bowling speed will reduce by up to 15 kmph,” Umesh shared on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel.
WATCH – Rinku Singh’s Light-hearted Request for A Bat from Suryakumar Yadav Not Fulfilled?
Despite his love for mutton, Mohammed Shami has been focused on his recovery and was recently seen bowling at full throttle in the nets. India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar expressed optimism about Shami’s recovery in time for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19.
“If Mohammed Shami doesn’t eat 1kg mutton daily…”: India pacer’s friend opens up on star’s diet#MohammedShami https://t.co/8yO7rNKgYY
— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) July 26, 2024
“We more or less know who the guys are, there are some injuries at the moment and hope they will be back. Mohammed Shami has started to bowl, which is a good sign. September 19 is the first Test (against Bangladesh) and that was always the goal. I don’t know if that is his timeline for recovery, will have to ask the guys at the NCA about that,” Agarkar said in a press conference.
ALSO READ: Venkatesh Iyer Joins Lancashire For Five-Week Stint Ahead Of Duleep Trophy
Agarkar also mentioned that the selection committee is keeping an eye on first-class cricket to build depth in the Test team. “There are so many Tests coming. We will need some depth. Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj have been around for a while, these are the obvious ones. But there will be some conversation around it. Got a lot of first-class cricket coming up so we can build guys up like that,” Agarkar concluded.
Mohammed Shami’s return will be eagerly anticipated, and his recovery will be crucial for India’s bowling attack as they gear up for a busy Test schedule ahead.
