Mohammed Shami ‘100%’ pain free, but wants to play domestic cricket ahead of Australia tour

Shami said it was the first time he bowled at full speed since his recovery.

“It was fun yesterday because I kept swinging half of the run-up and coming out since I can’t put too much pressure on my body,” he said during an event organized by Eugenix Hair Sciences in Gurugram. “Yesterday, we decided that I will bowl well, and give my 100%. [and] the results are good. I hope to be back in shape soon.”

Asked if he is pain-free now, since he had surgery in February, Shami said, “100%.” Shami has one month to try to be ready for the first Test against Australia which starts on November 22.

“The Australian series is still a long way off,” he said. “The only thing I want to focus on is how to keep myself in good shape, and how strong I can be before I go there. I know what kind of attack we want in this Test series, so I better spend more time. If I get healthy and get an eight-to-ten-day gap, the better I played one or two home games before going to Australia.

“I don’t know when I will play next, but today I feel comfortable bowling 20-30 overs and I get the nod from the doctors, I will run to play the game. I want to spend as much time as I can on the ground before going to the Australian series.

“I don’t want something like this to erase my fitness here and then something happens to me there. That’s not what I want. I want to be strong when I leave here so it doesn’t matter.”

Shami represents Bengal in domestic cricket and their next Ranji Trophy match may be too early for him to play, starting on October 26 at home. Their next two matches after that are from November 6 against Karnataka in Bengaluru and from November 13 in Indore against Madhya Pradesh, which will mark the end of the first leg of the red ball tournament. If Shami recovers from the match next month, he may also aim to play the three-day warm-up match set between India and India A in Perth before the first Test starts in the same city.

“It’s very difficult to get back on track after an injury so patience is a big thing. Injuries teach you patience and that makes your skills cleaner.”

Mohammed Shami

Shami also spent months out of action after the 2015 World Cup when he injured his ankle and missed the IPL that year, as well as 2024. Having not played a single game in over a year, Shami says one thing. such injuries had taught him patience.

“Don’t get frustrated and focus more on training and the game,” he said about spending months away from the field. “It’s very difficult to get back on track after an injury so patience is a big thing. Injuries teach you patience and refine your skills.

“Strength is the main thing [you have to focus on in recovery]. You should not doubt your ability and talent when you are away because certain things are built for you. I agree you need something like rhythm but your talent will not leave you. Your worth is worth fighting for.”

Shami said India’s pace attack, which includes Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, instills fear in the opposition because of the pace and variety provided by the three bowlers.

“We have worked as a unit since 2014,” said Shami. “India have never had three bowlers at the same time who can bowl more than 140kph. Maybe two at the top. Now we have others on the bench who can bowl 145kph. Every opponent is waiting for one kind of easy bowler, but that creates fear. All our bowlers are 145kph and they have different skills and we have shown how we can fight when we travel abroad, previously we were on the safe side or the pace attack was not that strong.”

Regardless of whether he is able to go to Australia or not, Shami said that if “other wickets bounce, there is nothing better in our pace attack. We need some runs on the board that our bowlers will be able to protect.”