‘He was afraid to even walk’: Mohammed Shami’s chat with doctor ended all fears, made LSG pacer emotional

Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan have combined to pick 16 wickets in LSG's fumbling IPL 2026 campaign. Both players have triumphed over injuries.

Updated on: May 4, 2026, 13:31:50 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Mohammed Shami knows what it takes to recover from a career-threatening injury. After hurting his ankle following the 2023 World Cup, he endured a long road to recovery, including rehabilitation and regaining match fitness, before returning to the Indian team. Shami featured in the 2025 Champions Trophy but is yet to return to the India Blues, and understands how difficult it can be to rebuild momentum.

Mohammed Shami with a shoulder for Mohsin Khan (AFP)

Mohsin Khan, his fellow pacer at Lucknow Super Giants, found himself at a similar crossroads. In 2022, he suffered a shoulder injury and almost lost his hand. Last year, he was sidelined by a calf injury, making even basic movement a challenge. A year later, though, he turned things around by picking up Lucknow Super Giants’ first five-wicket haul of the season. After bowling a maiden and dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cheaply against Rajasthan Royals, Mohsin returned figures of 5 for 23 against Kolkata Knight Riders, and much of the credit goes to his mentor and “big brother” Mohammed Shami, who supported him in the lead up to the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).

“It had been almost 14-15 months since the operation. Shami bhai helped me a lot there. I would use all his equipment. He supported me a lot. People expect to see me the way I was before the surgery, so that’s my goal,” said a visibly emotional Mohsin.

The only positive in an otherwise forgettable season

Shami and Mohsin have proven to be a couple of positives amid LSG’s gloomy season. The franchise may be struggling at the bottom of the points table, but Shami and Mohsin have combined to pick 16 wickets in the IPL. Add Prince Yadav’s 13 wickets to the tally and the reading becomes all the more formidable, but even without him, Mohsin (9) has outshone Shami in terms of number of wickets.

“When he came, it was a very difficult time. He was so afraid that he couldn't even walk or run. It does feel a little uncomfortable at first. I asked him, ‘What are you afraid of?’ He said ‘I just got my crutches removed, so I am not getting the confidence to jog comfortably. So, I spoke to the doctors and said, ‘Don’t worry. Even if something little happens, you’ll get to know. As long as he’s here, let him be. Within 3-4 days, he started catching and jogging. Told him to stop whenever he feels even the slightest discomfort. But till that happens, you keep at it. Otherwise, we’ll go back by 5-6 months,” said Shami.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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