If India are to do well in Champions Trophy 2025, Mohammed Shami's role will be very crucial. With Jasprit Bumrah missing due to injury, Mohammed Shami is the leader of the bowling attack. Against Bangladesh, in India's first match at the Champions Trophy 2025, Mohammed Shami took a five-wicket haul to assure Indian fans that he is in top touch. With India vs Pakistan clash next, Mohammed Shami will be in focus. However, a few months back too, things were not as smooth for Mohammed Shami like now. The 2023 ODI World Cup's highest wicket-taker was out for a long time due to injury and had to undergo surgery also.
He spent a lengthy time at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before making a return to domestic cricket and finally to the Champions Trophy squad.
Former Indian cricket team star Navjot Singh Sindhu had an interesting chat with Shami regarding his fitness journey after the Champions Trophy 2025 match against Bangladesh.
Sidhu: How did you lose five-six kg weight?
Shami: I have lost nine kg
Sidhu: Are you not having the rice in biryani then?
Shami: The most difficult thing is challenging oneself. When you are such a situation (recovering from injury), I was at the NCA and my weight was 90kg. The best part is that I don't crave for tasty food, I don't have sweets. I stay away from a lot of things which one should not have. As far as biryani is concerned, sometimes cheat meal toh chalta hai. To mera yeh chalta hai toh kya dikkat hai. Since 2015, I only have one meal per day. I only do dinner, no breakfast or lunch. It is very difficult but once you get used to it then it's easy."
Recetly, India vice-captain, Shubman Gill, appreciated Mohammed Shami's exceptional bowling performance against Bangladesh in the Men in Blue's opening ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 clash.
Shami delivered a five-wicket haul, figures of 5/53, including two early wickets that dismantled the Bangladesh top-order and left them reeling at 35/5.
"Ye ICC tournament me Panje se kam baat hi nahi karte (Whenever Shami comes to bowl in ICC tournaments, he takes five-wicket hauls most of the time). The way Shami bowled was great and he put pressure on Bangladesh batters. The way he has come back after his injury, it's not easy. He is a legend," Shubman Gill said in a video posted by BCCI.
Shami has five five-wicket hauls in ICC ODI events, two more than Australian stars Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Starc and Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman. Four of these fifers have come in the World Cup.
Shamir also accomplished 200 ODI wickets in this match, becoming the fastest Indian to do so and third-fastest overall. In terms of balls taken, he is the fastest to the milestone, with his double century of wickets coming in 5,126 balls.
Further, the right-hander spoke about his maiden century in the ICC tournaments, in which he smashed an unbeaten 101 runs off 129 balls, which included nine fours and two sixes. The 25-year-old was awarded 'Player of the Match' award for this brilliant innings.
With ANI inputs