Dubai, Feb 22 (PTI) Giving an insight into how he keeps match-fit even at the age of 34, Indian bowling stalwart Mohammed Shami says he prefers to eat only one meal a day and avoids sweets.
Shami has been the standout bowler for India in the ongoing Champions Trophy with the pace spearhead grabbing five wickets against Bangladesh in the marquee event in Dubai, thus becoming the fastest Indian bowler to take 200 ODI wickets.
“After 2015, I only have one meal a day. I only have dinner; no breakfast, no lunch. It is very difficult to do such a thing but once you get used to it then it becomes very easy,” said Shami during an interaction with cricketer-turned-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu on Star Sports.
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He had been sidelined from international cricket for 14 months due to an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia, which interrupted a remarkable run where he topped the tournament’s wicket-taker’s chart with 24 scalps.
The injury required surgery, and his recovery was further delayed by swelling on his left knee, keeping him out of international action for more than a year.
Shami said he gained quite a bit of weight during the recovery phase and had to shed nearly nine kgs to get back into shape.
“I have lost nine kgs (during rehabilitation). The most difficult thing is you have to challenge yourself. When you are in this condition… when I was at the NCA, it was a very difficult phase,”
“My weight was touching 90kgs. The best thing about me is that I do not crave for delicacies. I stay away from sweets. I stay away from a lot of things, things that generally one shouldn’t eat. So, I stay away from them,” said Shami, who will have to shoulder a lot of responsibility in India’s clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Champions Trophy here on Sunday.
Shami, who has claimed 55 wickets across three ODI World Cups and became the eighth Indian to reach 200 wickets in one-day cricket, added that despite his strict regimen he does enjoy his biryani once in a while.
“And, as far as the biryani is concerned, so sometimes it’s okay.
