"Once I leave cricket, I may never get this chance again" - Mohammed Shami gets emotional ahead of much-awaited comeback

Senior Team India pacer Mohammed Shami has said that he wants to play as many matches for the country as he can because he may never get the chance to represent the country once he quits cricket. He also opened up on his fitness woes and asserted that he's ready fight back from multiple setbacks because he believes that a sportsperson's hunger to play for the country should never end.

Shami was the leading wicket-taker at the 2023 ODI World Cup. In seven matches, he claimed 24 wickets at an average of 10.71, with three five-fers and one four-fer. The 34-year-old, though, hasn't played an international match since the ODI World Cup final due to a heel injury. The right-arm pacer underwent surgery to repair Achilles tendon in February 2024.

Having proved his form and fitness in domestic cricket, Shami was picked in the team for the upcoming T20I series against England. He has also been named in the ODI squad for the series against England and the 15-man provisional squad for the Champions Trophy.

At an event organized by Cricket Association of Bengal on Monday, January 20, Shami opened up on his battles with injuries. On a philosophical note, he said (as quoted by PTI):

"Country ke liye jo khelne ki bhoonkh hai woh kabhi khatam nahin honi chahiye. Appko agar usse pyar hai toh aap hamesha fightback karte rahenge, injured chahe aap 10 baar ho jaye." (The first thing I feel is that the hunger to play for the country should never end. If you have that hunger, you will always fight back, even if you get injured 10 times.)

"Mere dimaag mein hamesha yehi rehta hai mein kitna bhi match khel loon woh mere liye kam hai, kyunke ek baar agar meine cricket chhoda toh shayad woh dobara na hoga (No matter how many matches I play, it always feels like less. Because once I leave cricket, I may never get this chance again)," the seasoned pacer added.

There were conflicting reports about Shami's fitness during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Multiple reports claimed that he would be flown to Australia midway through the series. Eventually, though, he stayed back in India and represented Bengal in domestic cricket.

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Shami's recent performance in domestic cricket

Shami played three matches for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The 34-year-old claimed one wicket each against Bihar and Madhya Pradesh and starred with 3-61 in the pre-quarterfinal against Haryana, which Bengal lost by 72 runs.

In the preceding Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition, the Indian fast bowler played nine matches and claimed 11 wickets at an average of 25.36 and an economy rate of 7.85, with a best of 3-21.