Mohammed Shami. Photo: ANI
India pacer Mohammed Shami wants to be 100 percent fit after ankle surgery and play domestic cricket if required, without setting a timetable for his long-awaited international return.
Shami last played in the 2023 ODI World Cup final and has been sidelined since then due to an injury that saw him undergo surgery earlier this year.
Speaking at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) annual awards function, where he was lauded for his stellar performances, Shami said he wanted to be in top form before he gets back on the field.
“Koshish jaldi hi kar raha hoon kyun ke main janta hoon kaafi time ho gaya hai team se bahar rehte hue (I am working hard to come back soon because I know I have been out of action for a while). However, I want to make sure that I don’t have any discomfort when I come back. I have to work on my fitness so that there is no discomfort,” Shami told reporters.
“The stronger I come back, the better it is for me. I don’t want to rush and risk getting injured again, whether it’s against Bangladesh, New Zealand or the Australia Series. I’ve already started bowling, but I won’t take any risks until I’m 100% fit.”
PTI reported last month that Shami, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation, is likely to make a comeback to competitive cricket for his national team Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, and may also later feature internationally in one of the Test matches against New Zealand.
Shami is reportedly set to play one or two of Bengal’s opening matches in Ranji against UP (October 11) and Bihar (October 18).
The 34-year-old player hinted at the possibility of playing domestic matches before returning abroad.
“If I have to play domestic cricket to test my fitness, I will do it. What is most important is that I am fully prepared for whatever comes, irrespective of the opponent or the format,” Shami added.
Shami is expected to play a key role in India’s preparations for the upcoming five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
When asked about the much-awaited series, Shami said, “Favourites toh hum hi hai, chinta unhe honi chahiye (We are the favourites, they should be worried).”
The CAB also recognised Shami’s long association with Bengal cricket despite being born in Uttar Pradesh.
“I often say that I was born in UP but grew up in Bengal. This has been a journey of over 20 years and I am grateful for the love and support that Bengal has given me,” Shami said.
During the ceremony, several other Bangladeshi cricketers were also honoured for their achievements.
Anustup Majumdar was given the ‘Cricketer of the Year’ award, while Abishek Porel was declared the ‘Gentleman Cricketer of the Year’. Suraj Singh Jaiswal was given the ‘Best Fast Bowler of the Year’ award, while Chandrahas Dash was given the ‘Best Under-19 Cricketer’ award.
Deepti Sharma and Saika Ishaque were among the women cricketers who were honoured for their outstanding performances in the Senior Women’s T20 and One-Day tournaments.
A total of 200 prizes were awarded during the event.
The prize winners:
Cricketer of the Year: Anustup Majumdar;
Gentleman Cricketer of the Year: Abishek Porel;
Best Fast Bowler of the Year: Suraj Singh Jaiswal;
Best Cricketer Under 19: Chandrahas Dash;
Best Run-getter (Senior Women’s T20): Deepti Sharma;
Highest wicket-taker (one-day senior women): Mita Paul;
Highest wicket-taker (Senior Women T20): Saika Ishaque.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been edited by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First publication: Sep 15, 2024 | 01:46 AM IST