Injured fast bowler Mohammed Shami has proclaimed that he is fully fit and is aiming a comeback in the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Shami, who has not played a competitive game since ODI World Cup 2023, said that he wants to play a couple of Ranji Trophy games to get match-fit.
The pacer has been at the National Cricket Academy since his ankle surgery after the World Cup, and has been rehabilitating under the watchful eyes of the Board of Control for Cricket in India medical staff. Shami was recently seen bowling with a strapped knee at the centre wicket after the Bengaluru Test match.
“I am very happy with how I bowled yesterday. I was bowling from half run-up before that because I didn’t want to take too much load. But yesterday, I decided to go full tilt, and I bowled at 100 percent,” the 34-year-old told reporters on the sidelines of an event by Eugenix Hair Sciences, where he spoke about his cricketing journey.
“The result was good. I am 100 per cent pain-free. Everyone has been wondering for a long time about whether I will make it for the Australia series, but it is still some time away,” he said, referring to the five-match contest that begins November 22 in Perth.
India captain Rohit Sharma had addressed the injury concerns of Shami and had revealed that the pacer still had issues with his knee. Shami had slammed the media reports of the same right before the New Zealand series when he was not named in the India squad against the Kiwis.
Shami also mentioned that he would like to play a couple of matches in the ongoing Ranji Trophy for his state team, Bengal.
“The only thing on my mind is to ensure that I am fit and how strong I can be for the Australia series. I can see what kind of attack we need in Australia. I have to spend more time on the ground,” he said.
“I want to play a couple of (Ranji) matches before I go,” he added.
Shami has not played for India since the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia on November 19, owing to his ankle injury, which he got operated earlier this year.
