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Mohammed Shami closing in on return as 2023 World Cup hero hits the nets; Irfan Pathan and Kuldeep react
Mohammed Shami teased his return as the Indian pacer returned to bowling in the nets. Shami last played for India at the 2023 World Cup.
On a long road to recovery, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami teased his return on Tuesday. The star pacer underwent an operation on his Achilles tendon earlier this year. The 33-year-old missed the home series against Austalia before the senior pacer was ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and ICC T20 World Cup. As per the developments, Shami is gearing up for his comeback to competitive cricket.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, pace ace Shami shared a video of himself hitting the nets. The fast bowler cautiously bowled a few deliveries in the training nets. Though Shami has recovered from an ankle injury, the premier fast bowler is yet to resume bowling at full tilt. “Vibing with the latest, grinding for the greatest. #shami #mdshami #mdshami11 #hardwork #practice,” Shami captioned his post on the Facebook-owned platform.
Watch: Mohammed Shami hits the nets as pacer closing in on return
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Shami last played for India at the 2023 World Cup. The star pacer was instrumental in India's impressive run at the One Day International (ODI) World Cup last year. The senior pacer picked up 24 wickets in seven matches at an average of 10.70. Taking injections to treat his ankle, Shami braved the injury during the ICC event hosted by India. Shami experienced "some stiffness" in his ankle before the pacer failed to recover for the England series in January.
The speedster also withdrew from the Indian squad for the South Africa series due to ankle pain. With Shami missing multiple series and marquee tournaments, Team India has handed caps to pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep in the 2024 season. Speed merchant Shami will also miss India's white-ball series against Sri Lanka. Visitors India are expected to rest pace ace Jasprit Bumrah for the twin white-ball series against the Islanders.
