Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 22: Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami reflected on his remarkable comeback to the national team after a challenging ankle injury, stating that such experiences help athletes “grow stronger.”
As the Indian team prepares for the first T20I match against England at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on Wednesday, Shami is expected to lead the bowling attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out of the series.
Shami’s return to competitive cricket came after a lengthy recovery process following ankle surgery, which kept him out for nearly a year. He made his comeback with Bengal in domestic cricket, playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in November 2023.
In an emotional video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shami shared his thoughts on returning to the Indian squad after the long hiatus: “I waited for an entire year and worked very hard. There was a sense of fear, especially while running. It is tough for any player to experience such an injury, go through rehabilitation at the NCA, and then make a comeback. But when you go through these challenges, I feel you grow stronger as an athlete. You have to be mentally tough and keep pushing through—whatever is done is done. I have crossed that phase. If you work hard, you will get results.”
Shami’s inclusion in the India squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, starting February 19, marks another significant step in his recovery and return to top-tier cricket.
The five-match T20I series against England begins on January 22 in Kolkata. The remaining matches will be held in Chennai (January 25), Rajkot (January 28), Pune (January 31), and Mumbai (February 2).
India’s squad for the T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (VC), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK).