Experienced India pacer Mohammed Shami on Monday declared himself pain-free but insisted on proving his fitness in domestic cricket by playing at least “one or two” matches to make a strong case for selection for the marquee tour of Australia starting next month.
Shami, who has not played since the ODI World Cup final last November, scored a full-length after India’s opening Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru on Sunday.
This comes days after skipper Rohit Sharma revealed that his knee was swollen which was affecting his rehabilitation from the ankle injury he suffered last year.
“I was very happy with the way I bowled yesterday. I bowled from half run-up earlier because I didn’t want to take too much weight. But yesterday, I decided to go full-blown, and I went 100 percent,” the 34-year-old told reporters on the sidelines of an event organized by Eugenix Hair Sciences.
“The results are good. I am 100 percent pain free. Everyone has been wondering for a long time whether I will make it to the Australian series, but there is still time.”
India are expected to leave for Australia two weeks before the series opener in Perth starting November 22, leaving enough time for Shami to feature in the two Ranji matches for Bengal.
Bengal faces Kerala at home from October 26 before traveling to Bengaluru to face Karnataka from November 6. Will he be ready for the Bengals’ next game?
“I don’t know if I can play the next game. But the day I feel like I can play 20 to 30 times, the doctor gives me the okay, I’ll go. I want to spend maximum time on the field before the Australia series.
“I don’t want me to finish my fitness in India and have something happen there (in Australia). I want to be completely sure of my fitness before going there,” said Shami, who only took part in the Adelaide Test on the previous tour of Australia in 2020-21.
India would love it if Shami could play on the pitches Down Under although Rohit has said that he does not want to take an “undercooked” Shami to Australia.
Shami, who played a crucial role in the 2018 tour of Australia, realizes that he is crucial to the team’s overall plans.
“If I’m fit, we should have the same package as we had on the last two tours. I may not have been there but, if you look at what happened in 2020, everyone was injured and we still won.
“The only thing on my mind is making sure that I am fit and how strong I can be for the Australia series. I can see what kind of attack we need in Australia.”
Injuries teach you patience
Shami was forced to miss out for more than a year after suffering a knee injury during the 2015 ODI World Cup. The 34-year-old is now in a similar phase and he feels injuries only make you stronger.
“In 2015 I was also absent for that long. Injuries teach you to fight against yourself, you have to keep frustration away, focus on fitness and the game. It’s hard to get back on track after an injury.
“Injuries teach you patience and add purity to your game. After a comeback, the main thing is whether you can maintain fitness. Yes, rhythm is important but your skills will not leave you.
“You have to fight to get back to fitness,” said Shami, who has taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests and 195 wickets in 101 ODIs.
While still recovering from an ankle injury, India was able to end their ICC trophy drought in the Caribbean. Does Shami, who was the standout bowler for India in the ODI World Cup on home soil last year, miss being part of the T20 World Cup winning squad?
“It depends on luck too. I don’t think one should be disappointed because you have given your best to the country. You can’t fight your luck. “If you’re injured, there’s nothing you can do about it,” he said.
India has already started preparing its next line-up of pacers although the likes of Shami, Jaspirt Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj still have a lot of cricket left in them.
Asked about his thoughts on transition, Shami had just one piece of advice for the next generation of fast bowlers.
“It is a circle and it will continue. Whether it is Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep Mukesh Kumar, Harshit Rana, I would just advise them to talk at length with seniors on the internet, it teaches you a lot.
“The last 8 to 10 years, we played as a unit.
Previously, we had never had more than 140 pioneers playing at the same time.
“From that one to the one on the bench, he also went at a speed of 145 km/hour. So the opponent cannot relax and that creates fear. We all have different skills and that is what we show in conditions at home and abroad.”
Can India win their third consecutive series in Australia?
“The conditions suit us. All our fast bowlers are different types and if we bounce, it only makes us better. The batsman needs to score a few runs, we will manage the rest (laughs),” Shami added.
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