The injury gave me the most difficult time of my career: Mohammed Shami

The injury gave me the most difficult time of my career: Mohammed Shami: Mohammed Shami India’s mainstay in the fast bowling department has painfully revealed in a recent interview that the knee injury for which he was forced to have a surgery gave him the most difficult period as a professional cricketer.

Shami in an interview to bcci.tv said, “We came back from the World Cup and during the IPL I was told that the injury was really bad and that I will have to get it operated,”

Shami, who has been named in the 30 players probable Indian squad for the coming home series against South Africa, went on to narrate the tough phase that followed.

“The surgery happened in Mumbai and I was told I will not be able to walk for a month. I was completely bed-ridden. Even when I had to go to the bathroom, someone had to take me there because I couldn’t put the foot on the ground. That was a very tough time for me,” the Bengal pacer said.

Shami admitted that, “This was my first major injury and that one month was the most difficult period of my career so far,”. But the 25-year-old fast bowler is well into his rehabilitation now at the Shri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Centre (SRMC) in Chennai.

“Currently I am going through my rehab in Chennai,” said Shami, who is working with strength and conditioning expert VP Sudarsan and physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar at SRMC.

Shami added that he is not in haste to bowl again and will patiently move his way forward. “I am doing mild physical activities now. I have started to run a bit and my confidence is getting higher gradually. I have also started to bowl a bit – not off my full run-up but from a couple of paces. I am bowling two-three overs at a stretch currently just to get the feel of my line, length and release,”

“I want to be completely fit physically before I go for my first net session, even if it takes a week more,” he said. “It will take about 30 to 45 more days before I can bowl at my full pace and strength. But I don’t want to hurry into anything because I still have time on my hand before the South Africa series starts,” the pacer added.

The series against South Africa begins with the T20 internationals from October 2, which makes it touch and go for Shami to play the full series. However, he should be fully fit by the time the 4-Test series begins in November.