Mohammed Shami still struggling with knee injury? The pacer limps back to the locker room after the net session
As the Indian team prepares to take on England in the upcoming five-match T20I series, the focus is firmly on veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami. The right-arm pacer is back in the Indian squad for the much-awaited upcoming series.
He has not played for the Indian team since the 2023 World Cup final in November 2023. He played in the World Cup with an ankle injury and finished the competition as the top wicket-taker. However, Mohammed Shami had to pay a heavy price for playing while carrying the injury as he had to undergo surgery and was out for almost a year.
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He returned to competitive cricket a few months ago and was also in contention to make the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the selectors decided not to pick him in the Test squad before recalling him for the T20I against England.
Mohammed Shami is sweating it out:
HE IS BACK 💪🏻
Team India 🇮🇳
Mohd. Shami 😎
Gardens of Paradise 🏟️Simply perfect 👌🏻#Indian team | #INDvENG | @MdShami11 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/PwCuEOcaDA
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 20, 2025
Mohammed Shami along with his Indian teammates did a grueling three-hour training session on Sunday (January 19). Wearing heavy bands on his left knee presumably as a precaution, the Indian pacer began his bowling practice by running with short strides.
Later, he also participated in a field drill to test his knee. And it didn’t take long for Mohammed Shami to dispel any apprehensions about his fitness as he bowled a fiery spell during his long run. According to a PTI report, the fast bowler bowled the ball to the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma in the nets and troubled them with pace and bounce.
Mohammed Shami bowled at full steam for nearly 45 minutes without needing the help of the team’s physiotherapist or strength and conditioning coach. After the bowling session, he was seen talking to bowling coach Morne Morkel.
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Mohammed Shami limps:
Although Mohammed Shami did not feel embarrassed while bowling the nets, he worried many by limping back to the dressing room. He later returned to the ground and was seen gingerly tackling his old Bengal team-mates as he carefully managed his heavily bandaged left knee.
Meanwhile, Shami has also been included in India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy next month. With Jasprit Bumrah not fully fit, a fit Shami is very important for Team India.
“I don’t think his fitness had anything to do with white-ball cricket anyway. We were trying to get him to Australia,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar told a press conference while announcing the 2025 Champions Trophy squad.
“Unfortunately, his knee did not allow him to play four-day or five-day cricket. As for the white ball, I think he played most of Syed Mushtaq Ali’s matches and some of Vijay Hazare’s matches.”
