Recovering from an ankle injury, star India pacer Mohammed Shami said his prime focus is to achieve optimum fitness keeping in mind the upcoming home Test series against England.
The 33-year-old, one of the stars of India’s ODI World Cup campaign, was bestowed with the Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honour in the country, on Tuesday.
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“My aim is to keep myself fit as far as possible, as the next two tournaments and series are big. I will focus on fitness,” Shami, who took 24 wickets in seven World Cup games, told PTI on Monday night during a reception hosted by the sports ministry for this year’s national sports awards winners.
“There is no tension about my skill, as I believe if I maintain my fitness, skill will be there on the ground.”
Shami, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, had missed the recent South Africa series after not being cleared by the BCCI Medical team.
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The five-Test series against England begins on January 25.
Shami is the lone cricketer and one of the 26 sportspersons to receive the honour in a ceremony.
“It’s a dream come true, it’s my life’s biggest achievement, the fruit of my hard work,” said the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer, who has taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests so far in his career.
“No one can change your luck. If anything is decided by destiny, it is bound to happen. One must continue his hard work; it will pay off.”
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