Team India pacer Mohammed Shami shared how he drew inspiration from Rishabh Pant during his lengthy injury recovery. Shami had been out since the 2023 ODI World Cup due to a left Achilles heel injury that required surgery. His comeback was postponed further by knee swelling, leaving India to compete without him.
Meanwhile, Pant faced multiple ligament injuries after a serious car accident in December 2022, which kept him from playing for over a year. At a recent event in Gurgaon, Shami mentioned that Pant’s attitude motivated him during his recovery.
“I had spent time with Rishabh at the National Cricket Academy, where he was doing the rehab after his injury. I have seen the images, which were so scary. What inspired me the most that I never saw him sad.”
“All his ligaments were broken but he continued his rehab with a laugh on his face. It was a massive learning for me as well. His positive attitude taught me the importance of patience,” he said via Indian Express.
Pant has made an impressive comeback from injury, excelling in the IPL and contributing to India’s victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The left-hander has also performed well in Test cricket, scoring a century and a 99 in three Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand in the past month.
“I understand everyone is wondering if I’ll go to Australia, but that series is still a while off”- Mohammed Shami
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Mohammed Shami preferred to concentrate on regaining his full fitness rather than think about the upcoming Australian tour. Following India’s unexpected loss in the series opener against New Zealand in Bengaluru, the 34-year-old was observed bowling to assistant coach Abhishek Nayar.
“I know everyone has been thinking about whether I will go to Australia or not but that series is still far away. The only thing I want to focus on is how to keep myself fit and how to get as strong as I can for the tour.”
“I know what kind of an attack we want for that Test series, so it’s better for me to work on the nuances and spend some more time on the ground before going,” Shami said in the same interaction.
“If I get fit and I get a gap of eight to ten days, then it’s better that I play one or two domestic matches before going to Australia. I want to spend as much time as I can on the ground before going for the Australia series,” he added.
The much-anticipated five-Test series between India and Australia begins in Perth on November 22.
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