
India's ace pacer Mohammed Shami says he doesn't want to rush his comeback and risk getting injured again. Shami has been out ever since his magical performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, in which India lost to Australia in the final.
"I am working hard to make a comeback soon because I know I have been out of action for quite some time," Shami said at the Cricket Association of Bengal's (CAB) annual awards ceremony as reported by the news agency PTI.
"However, I want to ensure there is no discomfort when I return. I've to work on my fitness, so that there is no discomfort," he added.
India have a bumper Test season coming up which will see them play 10 Tests till January 2025 and Shami is an important part of those plans. The pacer, however, hasn't been included in the first Test against Bangladesh which starts September 19.
After two Tests against the Asian opponents, India host New Zealand for a three-Test series before travelling to Australia for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar series.
"The stronger I return, the better it is for me. I don't want to rush and risk getting injured again, be it against Bangladesh, New Zealand or the Australia series. I've already started bowling, but I won't take any chances until I am 100% fit," Shami said.
The pacer, who is much anticipated to make his comeback in the New Zealand home series, is also okay to test his fitness in domestic set-up if required.
"If I need to play domestic cricket to test my fitness, I will. What matters most is that I am fully ready for whatever comes next, regardless of the opposition or format," the pacer added.
India's most important tour, however, is going to be the Australia Test series where they'll be aiming to win the third consecutive Test series.