Follow UsFor nearly two years, Mohammed Shami spent more time off the field than on the field, trying to recover from a long-term ankle injury. The extent of the injury was such that the Indian pacer even feared the worst, revealing that his first thought was, ‘Will I be able to walk without a limp?’
"My first question to the doctor was 'how many days until I can be back on the field'. He said my priority is to get you to walk, then jog and then run and thinking about playing competitive cricket is still a distant goal,” Shami told ICC.
"I always wondered when I would be able to put my feet on the ground again someone who is used to running on the field constantly was now in crutches. A lot of thoughts used to run through my mind. Will I be able to do it again? Will I be able to walk without a limp?
Shami also revealed that for the first two months after the injury, he doubted whether his body could ever be ready for international cricket again.
"For the first two months I often doubted whether I would be able to play again as an injury like this followed by a 14-month break can pull you down."
"After 60 days when they asked me to put my feet on the ground, you wont believe me, but I have ever been more scared to put my foot on the ground," Shami said.
"It felt like I was starting over, like a toddler learning how to walk and I was worried about any complications.
As it turned out, Shami returned in Indian colours earlier this year against England during the five-match T20I series before marking his 50-over comeback against the same opposition, days later. What kept him going throughout was just pure ‘patriotism’.
"Courage and passion to play for the country are the biggest motivators and the desire to wear the India badge on my chest kept me going. You endure the pain and take it one step at a time without complaints or bitterness.
"The passion for representing my country has brought me this far. It was tough and there was pain, but with resilience and patience I made it through."
Shami will be a vital cog in the Indian setup in Jasprit Bumrah's absence. Rohit Sharma’s search for another ICC trophy will begin in Dubai against Bangladesh on February 20.