Shami recounts dark phase of his life during injury layoff

[Nergal]

 

 

India pacer Mohammed Shami revealed a harrowing account of his past from just a few years ago when he grappled with serious injury, rehabilitation and personal issues. Shami opened up about the dark phase of his career post the 2015 World Cup while talking about his turnaround in the last couple of years during an Instagram Live chat with Rohit Sharma.

Shami finished that World Cup as the fourth highest wicket-taker (17 wickets), but had played through the tournament with a knee injury. He felt the 18 months of layoff that followed the marquee event was 'the most painful time' of his life.

"When I got injured in the 2015 World cup, after that it took me 18 months to fully recover, that was the most painful time in my life, it was a very stressful period," Shami said. "You know how rehabilitation troubles you. I had to face a lot of difficulties."

When Shami was finally fit to get back on the field, there were personal life problems that came as another roadblock. On March 28, 2018 - less than a couple of weeks until the start of the IPL - Shami met with a car accident that compounded his woes.

"When I started playing again, I had to go through family problems. That was going on and then I had a car accident. I think that accident happened 10 or 12 days before the IPL (2018). And my family problems were high in the media.

"At that time I think if my family would not have supported me, I would have lost my cricket. During that phase, believe it or not, I thought of committing suicide three times. That was the level of stress I had in my head. It was a lot. I wasn't thinking about cricket," Shami revealed.

"In my house, in my room, my family members were always around me to ensure I don't do something untoward. What I went through in that phase, how I got through that time. I didn't know when I was awake, when I was asleep," he said.

"My family members would only tell me 'listen every problem will have some solution or the other. Every person goes through some difficulty or the other, so giving up is not the solution," he added.

Shami eventually came out of that phase, stronger and fitter. Since his comeback, Shami has bagged 133 wickets in 37 Tests at an average of 24.25, swiftly becoming an indispensable member of the Indian pace attack that has set new benchmarks in the last couple of years, particularly in the longer format.

 

[hawasabc]

Shami Is A World Class Bowler