'There Was Fear While Running'

'When you are scoring runs and taking wickets, everyone is standing with you.'
'But the real test is to realise who is with you during your tough times.'

The wait finally ends for Mohammed Shami.

The pacer bowler, who is back in the Indian team after a long injury lay-off of nearly 14 months, will play his first international game in the first T20I against England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Shami last played for India in the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November 2023 before he underwent surgery for an ankle injury.

His recovery was hampered by swelling on his left knee during his domestic comeback, which saw him miss the Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.

SEE: Learn to fly a kite from Shami

The 34-year-old fast bowler made a comeback to competitive cricket during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in November, where he took 11 wickets in nine matches for Bengal, before picking up five wickets in three one-day games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

He revealed how the long time spent away from cricket had made him fearful when he was making a comeback to cricket.

'I waited for an entire year, I worked very hard. There was a sense of fear while running. It is difficult for any player to get injured after being in full flow, go to NCA for rehabilitation and then make a comeback,' Shami said in a video posted by BCCI on Instagram.

'Whatever is done, is done, it is behind me. I have passed that phase,' he added.

Shami made a dream comeback to cricket, with a seven-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy match in November, as he guided Bengal to a 11-run win against Madhya Pradesh.

'When you come back from injuries, you become stronger as an athlete, because you have repeat those things so many times and become mentally strong' he added.

Shami then went on to pick up 11 wickets in nine matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament before taking five wickets in three matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

'If you work hard you will get the result that is what I believe in. When we are small, our parents teach us to walk, we fall, we rise but we never give up learning to walk. We should never give up that hunger, the same applies in sports too.

'If you get injured, you have make a comeback for your team and for your country. So keep fighting and keep growing.'

The tough phase of being away from cricket had made him identify his true friends, Shami said.

'When you are scoring runs and taking wickets, everyone is standing with you. But the real test is to realise who is with you during your tough times.'

In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Shami will spearhead India's bowling attack in the T20I series against England, while also playing the mentor role for young pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

Shami's record in international cricket: