Indian fast bowler and Arjuna Award winner Mohammed Shami has successfully undergone surgery on his Achilles tendon.
The right-arm pacer shared the update on his Twitter handle on Friday, the 26th. Mohammed Shami has been absent from competitive matches since the ODI World Cup final on November 19. His standout performance in the World Cup played a pivotal role in India’s impressive campaign, though it concluded with a heartbreaking loss in the final.
Despite sitting out the first four games of the World Cup, Shami emerged as the tournament’s top wicket-taker. Across seven matches, he secured an impressive 24 wickets, including a remarkable three five-wicket hauls and one four-wicket haul. What adds to the awe is that he accomplished this feat while dealing with a heel injury throughout the World Cup matches.
Shami shared an update about the surgery on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Just had a successful heel operation on my Achilles tendon! Recovery is going to take some time, but looking forward to getting back on my feet. #AchillesRecovery #HeelSurgery #RoadToRecovery.”
Shami hasn’t been in the cricket scene since his last appearance in the 2023 ODI World Cup final at Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19. He couldn’t join the T20I series against Australia in India and also missed the South Africa tour. The reason became clear later—he had to undergo surgery in the United Kingdom, forcing him to sit out the entire five-match Test series against England.
Mohammed Shami won’t be a part of the upcoming IPL 2024 season due to his achilles surgery. Even if he makes a recovery, it’s expected that he’ll be absent for a significant portion of the Gujarat Titans’ games in IPL 2024, set to take place from March 22 to May 26. Additionally, there’s concern that his involvement in the forthcoming T20 World Cup in June might be at risk due to the surgery.
Shami, who was recently awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award, has an impressive track record across his decade-long career. He’s taken 229 wickets in Test matches, 195 in ODIs, and 24 in T20Is, marking a remarkable achievement in the world of cricket.
