'Doctor Said Forget Playing...': Mohammed Shami Opens Up About Career-Threatening Injury
Updated - 22 Nov 2023, 11:42 AM
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After his extraordinary performance in the recently-concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has revealed just how close he was to quitting playing cricket.
Mohammed Shami was one of the best performers in the competition and was one of the biggest reasons behind India’s dominant run before the loss in the final. He did not get the chance to play in the first four games as India preferred Shardul Thakur because of his batting abilities. But an unfortunate injury to Hardik Pandya opened the door for the right-arm pacer and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
He went on to finish the tournament as the leading wicket-taker. In just 7 games, he picked up 24 wickets with the help of three five-wicket hauls that included a sensational 7-wicket haul against New Zealand in the semifinal. Even in the final, he struck on his first ball of the match to dismiss the dangerous David Warner but could not inspire India to win.
When Mohammed Shami’s career all but ended:
After the stunning outing in the World Cup, Mohammed Shami has revealed that he was once advised by the doctors to quit playing cricket. It happened just before the 2015 World Cup when he was suffering from a knee issue. There was a swelling in his knee and the doctors had advised him to give up cricket to save his body.
The star bowler also revealed even though he had the option of going for the surgery before the tournament, he opted against it in order to play for the team. Mohammed Shami was forced to go to the hospital after every match to take an injection.
“I had swelling in my knee before the 2015 tournament. Someone else could have said no but I have the ability to bear pain and I was told two options—either directly go for surgery or play the tournament and then go for the surgery. While the team would return to the hotel after every match, I would go to the hospital to take the injection. When you play for the country, you forget everything,” Mohammed Shami said in an interaction with PUMA.
“I was unconscious for two hours. When I woke up, I asked the doctor when I could start playing. He replied, ‘It will be a big achievement if you walk without a limp, forget playing. It all depends on how you go about your rehab,” added the pacer who is India’s all-time leading wicket-taker in the World Cup.
