Follow UsMohammed Shami was always someone who had the raw talent to become one of the best bowlers in the world, but what truly turned him into a world-beater was an increased focus on fitness.
Shami, who made his international debut in 2013, started ramping up his fitness a couple of years later, and the results have been there for everyone to see. He now stands tall as one of the best ODI and Test bowlers in the world and is unanimously regarded as one of the greatest Indian fast bowlers ever.
In a recent chat with former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, the speedster opened up about the drastic dietary changes he’s made in order to become the best version of himself.
"After 2015, I only have one meal a day. I only have dinner, no breakfast, no lunch. It is very difficult to do such a thing, but once you get used to it, then it becomes very easy," Shami said on Star Sports.
34 now, the last couple of years have not been easy for Shami, who has seen about 15 months of his career taken away due to injury. After the 2023 ODI World Cup Final, the speedster did not play another game of professional cricket for close to a year and made his international comeback just recently, about a month back.
He revealed that, during the rehabilitation period, his weight rose to 90 kg and he lost nearly 10 kgs in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy.
"I have lost nine kgs [during rehabilitation]. The most difficult thing is you have to challenge yourself. When you are in this condition... when I was at the NCA, it was a very difficult phase," Shami revealed.
"My weight was touching 90kgs. The best thing about me is that I do not crave for delicacies. I stay away from sweets. I stay away from a lot of things, things that generally one shouldn't eat. So, I stay away from them," he added.
Shami has begun the 2025 Champions Trophy in perfect fashion, with a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Dubai.