Shami made headline and also surprised many when he was dropped from India's Test squad for failing a fitness test in June 2018. Getting dropped from the red-ball cricket was a big blow for Shami considering he is an integral part of India's Test squad.
However, Shami's determination forced the national selectors to bring him back to the ODI squad. Life has been good for Shami since then as he was picked in India's 15-member World Cup squad.
Speaking to IANS, Shami recounted the horror and also said that while everyone spoke about him failing the test, not many realised that he wasn't even in the frame of mind to take the field at that point in time.
"I had some family problems at that point of time. The fitness test didn't go well and I accept that I failed. But then, I wasn't even in that frame of mind where I could focus on the match against Afghanistan. I wasn't mentally prepared and had to undergo the Yo-Yo Test at that point in time and I flunked," he explained.
"Pressure was there, but I kept myself motivated and told myself that I have to work on my fitness and come back strongly. I have reduced 12-14 kilos since then and you can see that not just in my physical appearance, but it also reflects in the rhythm and momentum that I have found in my bowling," he pointed.
For Shami, it was all about reminding people that his white-ball record is just as enviable as his red-ball performances.
"I hadn't been playing white-ball cricket for a while but in the series against Australia, I gained in confidence and just looked to keep that going even in the IPL. Also, playing consistently for KXIP also helped me. Getting to play day-in day-out helps you perform and get the right momentum.
"I was just waiting for an opportunity as I had a good record in white-ball cricket. Waited for almost two years and I had it in mind that when I did get the chance, I will show what I could do.
"Always knew that I can adapt to the shorter format and bowl the line and length required to succeed," he revealed.