I weighed almost 95 kg after my injury, was on bed rest for 60 days: Mohammed Shami

India speedster Mohammed Shami has had an inspirational turnaround in his career with the national side. Over the past few years, especially after his bowling antics in the 2019 World Cup, the Bengal quick has cemented his place in the Indian team.

With his ability to constantly tick the 140 kmph mark, 30-year-old Shami is wreaking havoc on batsmen in the on-going IPL 2020 too. Putting his pace and experience into use, Kings XI Punjab’s Shami is among the leading wicket-takers of this year’s IPL, having plucked eight wickets so far in the first four matches.

One of the lowest points of Shami’s career was in 2015 when he suffered a career-threatening knee injury. Earlier this year, the speedster had revealed that he had played in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with a fractured knee. He was also the second-highest wicket-taker for India, scalping 17 wickets from 7 matches in the mega-event.

Everyone faces some problem in life: Mohammed Shami

Opening up on his past injuries, Shami said that he weighed over 95 kg at that time. He even had a ball next to him throughout the 60 days of his bed rest. Emphasizing on the importance of mental strength, Shami said that everyone goes through such a phase in life.

“Everyone faces some problem or the other in their lives. To set a goal and to achieve it, you need to plan a chart and work accordingly. I believe that everyone has to face a difficult phase in life to refocus and work in the right direction,” he said while speaking on Amstrad InsideSport Face 2 Face cricket series.

“I remember after my injury, I weighed almost 95 kg and I felt that what people are saying is true and I can’t do anything about it. But then I had a ball next to me throughout the 60 days of my bed rest. You don’t have to forget things in life and you have to learn and adapt to the situation and you can’t lie to yourself, especially with regard to your profession,” Shami added.

The 30-year-old also highlighted that a human body doesn’t function like a car wherein the tank could be filled with petrol and it will run smoothly thereafter. Hence, maintaining fitness levels and weight become a crucial aspect of a sportsperson’s career.

“The most difficult thing for a sportsperson is to maintain his weight and fitness levels which becomes very crucial. I am very happy that I have been able to utilise what I got from cricket to keep myself in good shape,” Shami added.