The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has commenced, and India kicked off their campaign on a winning note. Yet, the central highlight has been the comeback of experienced pacer Mohammed Shami, who made an assertive statement with a five-wicket performance against Bangladesh in India’s first match.
Shami’s journey back to full fitness has been a challenging one. After India’s heartbreaking exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup, injuries kept him away from competitive cricket for months. He underwent surgery and dedicated himself to rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
His return in the limited-overs series against England had its struggles, but his performance against Bangladesh showcased the hard work he put in behind the scenes. After his stupendous spell, Shami was interviewed by former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu in the post-match press conference.
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Navjot Singh Sidhu, infamous for his high-energy interactions, was interested to know about the pacer’s fitness makeover. “How did you shed five-six kg of weight? Don’t you leave out the rice from the biryani then?” he laughed.
Shami 🤝 ICC Tournaments
From his love for biryani to his comeback, catch @MdShami11‘s post-match interview with @sherryontopp! 🎙
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— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 21, 2025
Shami answered smiling, demonstrating the discipline behind his training regime. “I lost nine kg. The most challenging thing is challenging oneself. I was in the NCA during the rehab when recovering from the injury, and I weighed 90kg. I don’t eat sweets and certain foods. But biryani, which has a cheat element to it every now and then, doesn’t matter.” “Since 2015, I have taken just one meal a day—that’s dinner. It’s not easy at the start, but you get used to it.”
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With his rhythm restored and confidence high, Shami is still an integral part of India’s pace battery. As India prepare to face off against Pakistan on February 23 in Dubai in a high-voltage encounter, his experience and capacity to deliver early breakthroughs will play a decisive role.
