Champions Trophy: Shami makes dream return

Till a few weeks back, Mohammed Shami was not sure of making the Indian team for the Champions Trophy. In fact, there was a period last year when the veteran pacer was not even sure if he would ever return to the field again. But Shami, who recently made a comeback from a long injury layoff, proved his worth by picking up five wickets in India’s victory against Bangladesh in their opening game of the tournament.

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The 34-year-old speedster, who is leading India’s bowling department in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, made an unforgettable comeback by claiming his sixth five-wicket haul in ODI cricket. It was his first ever five-wicket haul in an ICC tournament.

Shami also became the eighth Indian to complete 200 wickets in ODI cricket. On Thursday, he grabbed three wickets to reach the milestone in his 104th match. He became the fastest Indian to the milestone, breaking the record of former India pacer Ajit Agarkar (133 matches). He then added two more wickets to his tally to end the day with figures of 5/53.

Shami, who averages less than 24 and has 10 four-wicket hauls, also extended his record of most five-wicket hauls for India in the format. The next best is three five-wicket hauls by Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh.

The road back to the top, though, was filled with hurdles — the latest being his 14-month exile from cricket. After finishing the 2023 World Cup as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Shami required surgery for an ankle injury. After a long layoff, his comeback was delayed by issues with his knees during rehabilitation. Shami finally returned to competitive cricket, turning up for the Bengal team in the domestic season. He finally re-joined India’s white-ball squad for the home series against England.

“From being in great form during the World Cup to suddenly finding myself on the operating table - it was really tough. I often questioned whether I would ever play again. A long injury layoff can pull you down in ways one cannot imagine,” Shami said.

“The passion for representing my country has brought me this far. It was tough and there was pain, but with resilience and patience I made it through. My motivation has always been to serve my country for as long as possible because once you step away, you’re just like anyone else,” he added.