With taking the most wickets in the World Cup 2023, the Indian pacer Mohammed Shami recalls his experience during his UP Ranji Selection trials at an early age.
Mohammed Shami recalls his UP Ranji trails experience
India lost their World Cup finals match against Australia at Narendra Modi Stadium, but the players made several records during the World Cup Campaign out of which Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami tops the list of leading run scorer and most wicket-taker in the ICC tournament respectively.
Shami was sidelined during the first four matches of India’s scheduled World Cup campaign but completed the tournament with 24 wickets and emerged as the leading wicket-taker.
He was impressive during the semifinal match against New Zealand where he dismissed 07 wickets, but ended with a disappointment as the side was defeated in the final.
He was an important part of the Indian team for many years but he had some struggles in his initial days in the sport. During the selection in UP, he suffered the loss of his father in 2017. He has come through lots of struggles before establishing himself as one of India’s important pacers.
During an interview, Shami opened up on the worst experience he faced while trying to secure a spot in the UP Ranji team.
“I had gone to give trials for the UP Ranji Trophy team for 2 years, but whenever the final round came, they used to kick me out.” Shami said, ‘When I was not selected after the trials in the first year, I thought it didn’t matter. Will come again next time, but next year the same thing happened again,” the 33-year-old recalled.
“My brother used to watch all this happening. He was very sharp in this matter. When I went again the next year, the same thing happened, 1600 boys were there and the trials were going to last for 3 days. Brother said, I am not able to understand anything. A fair is going on here. Brother talked to the selection head. Brother got such an answer from him which he had never imagined in his life.
“The selector told brother that if you can move my chair, then the boy will be selected. It’s very good. Otherwise, sorry,” said Shami.
“I took 45 wickets in 9 matches while playing for this club. After this the manager gave me 25 thousand rupees and a train ticket. I was not sure about this at all. I went home and gave 25 thousand rupees to my mother, but father returned this money to me. Papa said, ‘this is your earning, you should use it’. I bought shoes and accessories with this money,” revealed Shami.
He was rested in the first match of the T20I series against Australia on November 23 at Dr. Y. S. Rajashekar Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium.
