Mohammed Shami has confirmed that he is “100%” pain-free after a setback in his recovery and aims to prove his match fitness for the Australia tour by playing “one or two domestic matches, reports Live Cricket Score.
The 34-year-old pacer, who has not represented India since the 2023 ODI World Cup, shared that he bowled with a full run-up at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, following the conclusion of the first Test between India and New Zealand. Shami expressed optimism about his recovery after the session.
“It felt great yesterday. Until now, I had been bowling with a half run-up to avoid putting too much load on my body,” Shami said at an event in Gurgaon on Monday (October 21). “We decided to push things yesterday, and I bowled at full intensity during the final two sessions, giving my 100%. It felt good, and the results were encouraging. Hopefully, I’ll be back on track soon.”
Shami has been recovering from a left Achilles heel injury sustained after the World Cup, with knee complications further delaying his return. Rohit Sharma recently revealed that Shami had suffered knee swelling after reaching near-full fitness, making it “very difficult” to assess his availability. Rohit also stressed that taking a “half-fit” Shami to Australia wouldn’t be the right decision for the team.
“Everyone’s been wondering if I’ll make the Australia tour, but there’s still time before the series begins,” Shami said, adding that he now feels “100%” fit.
“My priority is to stay fit and build strength for the tour. I understand the kind of bowling attack we need for that Test series, so I need to fine-tune things and spend more time on the ground before travelling.
“If I get fit and have an 8-10 day window, I’d prefer to play one or two domestic matches before heading to Australia.
“I’m not sure exactly when I’ll play, but once I’m comfortable bowling 20-30 overs and the doctors give me the green light, I’ll jump into match action. I aim to get as much time on the field as possible before the series.”
The first Test between India and Australia is scheduled to begin on November 22 in Perth, leaving Shami just a month to prepare for the tour.
