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[Saba Sports News] India pacer Mohammad Shami has provided a much-anticipated update on his fitness, confirming that he is 100% pain-free. This comes after he was seen bowling to India batter Shubman Gill and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar in the nets in Bengaluru. The session followed India’s loss to New Zealand in the first Test, and Shami’s return to bowling was a promising sign after weeks of speculation regarding his recovery.
Shami’s fitness had been the subject of much discussion since he underwent ankle surgery following the 2023 World Cup. The surgery came after he played a critical role in India’s bowling attack throughout the tournament.
After the surgery, Shami spent time recovering both at home and at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where he worked on his rehabilitation. Despite his efforts, concerns over his fitness continued to linger, especially after recent reports claimed that his comeback was delayed due to a knee injury sustained during training at the NCA.
Initially, Shami had been slated to make his return to competitive cricket by playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy. This was expected to be followed by at least one appearance in the Test series against New Zealand, serving as preparation for India’s highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) tour of Australia in 2024. However, his knee injury at the NCA seemingly derailed those plans, leading to further uncertainty over his fitness and availability.
During his recent training session in Bengaluru, Shami was seen bowling with a heavily taped knee, a clear sign that his recovery was still in progress. Just a few days earlier, India captain Rohit Sharma had revealed that Shami’s knee swelling was a concern and had been hindering his rehabilitation efforts. Rohit even expressed caution, saying he didn’t want to risk taking an “undercooked” Shami into such a crucial series as the BGT in Australia, where India will need their bowling unit at full strength.
Despite these concerns, Shami offered reassurance with his performance in the nets. Speaking to the media, he expressed satisfaction with his progress: “I’m very happy with how I bowled yesterday. For a while, I was using a half run-up in practice because I didn’t want to put too much strain on myself during the recovery process. But yesterday, I decided to go full tilt and bowl at full pace, and I felt 100 percent pain-free. It was a great feeling.”
Shami acknowledged that there had been widespread speculation about whether he would be fit in time for the Australia series, but he was quick to point out that the series is still some time away. He stressed the importance of his fitness in preparing for the demanding tour, where conditions in Australia will test both his physical and mental endurance.
“The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a huge series, and my only focus is on making sure I’m fully fit and as strong as possible by the time we head to Australia,” Shami said. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what kind of attack we will need in those conditions, and I know that I need to spend more time on the field, building up my fitness and rhythm.”
Shami also shared his desire to play in the domestic circuit before heading to Australia, stating that he plans to take part in a few Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal to regain his match fitness. “I want to play a couple of (Ranji) matches before I leave for Australia. It’s important for me to get more game time and spend more time on the ground. The Ranji Trophy will give me the opportunity to sharpen up and test myself in match conditions,” he added.
Rohit’s earlier comments about not wanting to rush Shami’s return underscore just how vital the fast bowler is to India’s plans for the upcoming Australia tour. With Shami now seemingly on track to make a full recovery, both the team and fans will be hopeful that his fitness holds up in the coming weeks. His ability to swing the ball in Australian conditions could prove to be a game-changer for India as they look to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
For now, all eyes will be on Shami as he prepares for a potential Ranji Trophy comeback, with the cricketing world eagerly awaiting his return to full form.