Mohammed Shami provides update on his knee injury ahead of South Africa test series

Mohammed Shami has not played any cricket since the ICC World Cup 2023 final on November 19.

Ace India pacer Mohammed Shami has spoken on his availability for South Africa test series as he is suffering with a knee injury. BCCI rested Shami for the white-ball series of India’s visit to South Africa, despite him being the leading wicket-taker in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Mohammed Shami took 24 wickets in seven matches during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, with three fifers and best bowling figures of 7/57. He hasn’t played any cricket since then because he was rested for Australia T20Is and South Africa white-ball tour.

However, when BCCI announced the squad for South Africa tour, Mohammed Shami’s name was included on a conditional basis, as the board acknowledged that the bowler was battling with fitness and was recovering from an injury.

The 33-year-old, stated that his knee has been troubling him for quite some time now, mentioned that he has to undergo some tests before deciding if he will be able to tour South Africa for the two tests.

“I am ready to go, but only if there is no pain. There was some irritation in my knee for a very long time. I will have to get some tests and checkups done. So, if it is at the stage where it won’t trouble me again, I will surely go for the Test series,” Shami told Sports Tak.

Furthermore, Mohammed Shami also stated that he would love to play for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and ensure that the same mistakes are not made again.

“We were very close to winning the World Cup,” says Mohammed Shami

At the World Cup 2023, team India trounced every opponent they faced, completing a 10-match winning streak ahead of the crucial final versus Australia.

Men In Blue’s juggernaut, however, came to an end with Australia’s six-wicket victory in the summit showdown. In the finals, India had to defend a 241-run mark. Recalling the game, the fast bowler believes the hosts would have won if the spinners had taken a couple of wickets after the seamers got off to a solid start.

“Since the day I reached home, that has been the only topic of discussion at home or with my friends. It keeps on repeating, and I feel that we were very close to winning the World Cup. We are able to take three early wickets in the final. I was confident that we just needed one more wicket. It was going through my mind that if our spinners would take one or two wickets, the game was ours,” Shami elaborated.

Shami appreciated Rohit Sharma and his teammates’ consistent support from fans during the tournament and went on to say that he didn’t meet a single unpleasant person during the 2023 World Cup.

“If you look at our World Cup journey, right from day one, the whole country enjoyed the effort and the game we showed. There was not even 0.001 percent chance of finding a negative person who believed that India wouldn’t win the World Cup. It was wonderful to see that kind of support for us,” he explained.

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