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In a country like India where cricket is a religion getting a place in the national squad is not easy. The competition is tough and the fitness level expected is very high today. Players have to pass the fitness test to get selected every time before a tournament. So when Mohammad Shami became overweight and failed the fitness test, it became important for him to lose weight and put more effort into regaining his place in the Indian team.
From not being in the ODI team a year earlier to now becoming the second lead paceman of India next to Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami had to undergo a lot of struggle. And he was rewarded for his efforts as the Indian cricket team captain; Virat Kohli welcomed him back calling “Naya Shami.”
Desi Fitness Was The Key For Mohammed Shami
In 2018, Mohammed Shami weighed 93 kgs and would start panting while coming back to bowl each delivery. The disturbances in personal life, legal battles and facing the media had affected his fitness level badly. Not only was his performance in the IPL with Delhi Daredevils team very disappointing but he was also ruled out of Afghanistan Test match.
Shami has never liked the regular treadmill, dumbbells, and butterfly machine routine that most of the sportspeople usually follow. His childhood coach Badruddin Siddiqui knew that all such activities repelled Shami and hence advised him to instead go back to his earlier desi fitness regime. On his advice, Shami went to Moradabad and trained with Badribhai, his mentor and coach from young days. A 400-meter area was tilled mechanically for Shami’s training.
Few sacks of sand were added to the soil to counter the soil‘s softness. Every day Shami completed 10 rounds barefoot on this soil for 15 days. Many times he even ended completing 20 rounds. His only relaxation was swimming in his farmhouse pool.
Since Shami is not very fond of dieting or skipping his favourite dishes, Badribhai instead cut down on his intake of food and ensured that the fast bowler eats only clean and healthy meals. After a couple of months having lost all that extra weight, Shami managed to clear the fitness test and once again emerged as a leading pace bowler for the country.
