'What inspired me the most that I never saw him sad' - Mohammed Shami praises Rishabh Pant for ever-smiling attitude

Mohammed Shami, the star pacer of India, is well-known for his fighting spirit during games. He has helped India win many matches in the past and because of injury, missed a few series. Now, Shami is all set to be back for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. Shami spoke to reporters at an event organized by Eugenix Hair Sciences, where he praised Rishabh Pant for his 'fighting spirit' he showed during his accident.

"I had spent time with Rishabh at the National Cricket Academy, where he was doing the rehab after his injury. I have seen the images, which were so scary. What inspired me the most that I never saw him sad. All his ligaments were broken but he continued his rehab with a laugh on his face. It was a massive learning for me as well. His positive attitude taught me the importance of patience," Mohammed Shami said at an event.

Pant's life-threatening accident happened in 2022 and he was away from cricket for a long time. He then made his comeback in the IPL, played the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA and then played in the Test series against Bangladesh where he scored a blistering century. He is one of the best players in the team and has the potential to convert his scores which is the best thing. 

I am hundred per cent pain-free: Mohammed Shami

In the same event, Mohammed Shami also revealed his future plans and said that he is a 'hundred per cent' fit and can play in the BGT series against Australia. While Shami was with NCA in Bengaluru, he bowled several overs to India's assistant coach, Abhishek Nayar. After that, he concluded that he was fully fit and could play in the upcoming series. 

"I am hundred per cent pain-free. Everyone has been wondering about if I will play the Australia Tests, but there's a lot of time left for it. I only want to ensure that I am fit and strong before the Australia series. I will analyse what kind of attack we need to succeed there. So, I focus on spending more time on the ground and playing a couple of matches," Shami said.