He needs 1 kg mutton daily: Mohammed Shami’s secret to speed revealed by his close friend

Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami's fondness for mutton has yet again become the talk of the town, thanks to his close friend Umesh Kumar. Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel, Umesh hilariously claimed that Shami’s bowling speed might drop if he didn't consume at least 1 kg of mutton daily.

He further joked that Shami could only manage a day without his favorite meal before cravings took over. Besides his love for mutton, the Indian pacer also loves shopping. Umesh also revealed a secret about the Indian cricket team pacer of visiting shopping malls whenever he goes for matches.

Umesh Kumar shares fun insights on Mohammed Shami’s mutton dependency

Mohammed Shami’s friend Umesh Kumar said on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel: “If he (Shami) doesn't eat 1 kg mutton daily, his bowing speed will reduce by up to 15 kmph. Shami can bear everything, but Shami cannot survive without Mutton. He can tolerate it for one day; you will see him agitated on the second day, and he will lose his mind on the third.”

Umesh Kumar further added, “Shami is very fond of shopping. There is a mall in Delhi called Emporio. Earlier, whenever Shami returned home, he would take me shopping.”

On the other hand, Shami has faced numerous challenges, from an ugly fallout with his ex-wife Hasin Jahan, who accused him of match-fixing and domestic abuse, to contemplating suicide. One particularly harrowing incident took place in 2018, just after Shami was cleared of all charges. While on a road trip with Umesh, they were involved in a horrific car accident.

Notably, Shami was last seen during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he left a significant mark with his exceptional bowling and helped Team India make it to the finals, losing the title to Australia.

Mohammed Shami set to make comeback with Bangladesh Tests

Mohammed Shami was the highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets in just seven matches at the ODI World Cup 2023. However, the 33-year-old pacer has been sidelined due to an Achilles tendon injury that required surgery earlier this year. Since then, Shami has been working hard to regain fitness.

He has resumed bowling and shared videos of his practice sessions on social media. Due to this injury, Shami missed the IPL 2024 and T20 World Cup 2024, which were won by Rohit Sharma and his team last month.

Meanwhile, Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that Mohammed Shami is likely to return to action with the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home in September 2024. He is currently working towards regaining full fitness at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

Recently, Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference: “Shami has started to bowl, which is a good sign. The first test against Bangladesh is on September 19. That was always the goal (he was making a comeback by that time). I don't know if that is his timeline for recovery. Whether he can make it back to the squad by that time, I’ll have to speak with the guys at the NCA about that.”