The star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami is all set to don the blue jersey against England in the five-match T20I series starting from January 22, Wednesday. He last played for India in the ODI World Cup 2023, and after that was sidelined from the game due to a knee injury. Although Shami missed big tournaments in this time period, he focused on rebuilding his form through domestic cricket. He made his Ranji Trophy return last November, helping Bengal to win the opening match of the season. Ahead of the series against England and his comeback to the international stage, he spoke out about his mind.
In a video shared by BCCI, Shami said,
"The real test is to realize who is with you during tough times—I waited for an entire year and worked very hard. There was a sense of fear even while running; it's difficult for any player to get injured after being in full flow, go to NCA for rehab, and then make a comeback."
"When you are young, our parents teach us how to walk—we fall, we rise—but we never give up learning how to walk—we should never give up that hunger—even if we fail, we have to get up & walk again. The same applies to sports: if you get injured, you have to make a comeback for your team and country."
In the video shared by BCCI on social media, Shami used the example of a flying kite to help people understand self-belief and confidence within during tough times.
"Doesn't matter if it is flying a kite, bowling, or driving a car; if you are strong and believe in yourself, then I don't think you will find any difference. Look, even after 15 years, I am able to fly this kite. Hence, confidence is very important for any task."
"When you are scoring runs and taking wickets, everyone is with you during tough times. I waited for an entire year, and I worked very hard. There was a sense of fear even while running."
The 34-year-old also expressed his gratitude towards the support staff of the National Cricket Academy for helping him during his rehab time.
"It is difficult for any player to get injured after being in full flow, go to the NCA for rehabilitation, and then make a comeback. When you go through injuries, I feel you grow stronger as an athlete because you have to repeat a lot of things while being mentally strong. Whatever is done. I have crossed that phase. If you work hard, you will get the result. That's what I believe."