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Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has made a major revelation about Mohammed Shami’s struggles and comeback. The star pacer has been out since the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 final, but he is working hard to return. Currently, he is representing East Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2025 in Bengaluru.
Back in 2018, Mohammed Shami faced a difficult phase when both his form and personal life took a toll. After failing the fitness test before India’s Test against Afghanistan, Shami wanted to quit cricket. Bharat Arun recalled this moment during a podcast with Times of India.
“When Shami was going through trauma and a crisis in his personal life, Ravi Shastri spoke to him and told him, ‘Any support you need, please feel free to ask,’” Bharat Arun told Times of India.
Shami Wanted to Quit Cricket After Fitness Test Failure
Arun revealed that Shami came to him dejected after being dropped. “So he came to my room and said, ‘Paaji, mai cricket chor doonga’ (I will quit cricket),” Arun recalled.
The coach advised him to think twice about leaving the game. “So I asked him, ‘What are you going to do after quitting cricket? Whatever you are and whatever you have achieved is because of cricket.’ He said he was angry. I took him to Ravi. Ravi said, ‘If you are angry and you have the ball in your hand, show your anger with the ball. You want to quit cricket because your body is not fit?’”
How Training at NCA Revived Mohammed Shami’s Career
Shastri and Arun then sent Shami to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for physical training. “We sent him to the NCA, and the only instruction was to work on him physically, no bowling. Three weeks after we sent him to the NCA, he called me and said: ‘Paaji, mai toh abhi ghode ki tarah bhaag raha hoon‘ (I am running like a horse),” Arun shared.
This turnaround boosted Shami’s confidence, leading to his strong comeback in England. “That is how Mohammed Shami regained his confidence, and he played those five Test matches in England. In the fifth Test match, after tea time on the last day, he bowled a spell at 140 kmph — that was his fitness level. It was amazing,” Bharat Arun concluded.
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