Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been one of the leading figures in some of Team India's biggest moments in recent times.
He was one of the key players in the Indian Test side that went to make history against Australia in 2021, and has also been the leading wicket-taker in the last three editions of India's ODI World Cup.
He is also just the second Indian to pick up a hat-trick in ODI World Cup and became the first Indian to pick up 7 wickets in an inning against New Zealand, at the 2023 50-overs World Cup.
However, his life has not all been about the highs, as he not only been at the end of several injuries but was also charged with domestic violence and match-fixing allegations by his estranged wife Hasin Jahan.
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Mohammed Shami and his friend Umesh Kumar were speaking on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel in an interview titled "Unplugged ft. Mohammed Shami" where his friend revealed the darkest moment of the cricketer's life, where he even went to the extent of contemplating suicide.
Why did Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami contemplate suicide?
Mohammed Shami has mentioned in the past about having thoughts of ending his life, following his ex-wife Jahan's allegations against him, which also led to the BCCI withholding his national team contract.
However, his friend Umesh Kumar revealed that phase of Shami's life in much more detail during the interview. He said that Shami was heartbroken when media started spreading match-fixing allegations that the cricketer had betrayed his country, by fixing matches with arch-rivals Pakistan.
"Shami was fighting with everything during that phase. He lived with me in my house. But when the fixing allegations with Pakistan broke, and led to a probe that night, he was shattered. He said that I can tolerate everything but not allegations of betraying my country," Umesh said on the podcast.
Further, he went to talk about finding his friend at the end of the balcony, contemplating suicide, and shared Shami's reaction when he was cleared of all the false allegations.
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"It also came in the news that he wanted to do something drastic that night [end his life]. It was around 4 AM in the morning when I got up to drink water. I was on my way to the kitchen when I saw that he was standing on the balcony. It was the 19th floor we were living in. I understood what happened. That night of Shami's career, I feel, was the longest. Later, one day, when we were talking, he got a message on his phone saying he got a clean chit from the committee that was investigating the matter. He was probably happier that day than he would have been if he had won a World Cup," he added.
Shami, who later went to represent India at the World Cup again, shared his thoughts on what prevented him to taking such a drastic move, when he had a promising career ahead of him.
"It depends on what you prioritise more and then on the other person on how true his/her statements are. So, when you know that the other person's actions are invalid and not important to you, you should not leave your priorities. If I had not been the Mohammed Shami, I am today, no one would have cared about my situation, and neither would the media be interested in it. Then why should I leave the thing that made me Shami. So, you have to keep fighting," he said.
Mohammed Shami is currently recovering from an ankle injury he suffered during the ODI World Cup in 2023. He is expected to make a comeback in the upcoming Test series against either Bangladesh or New Zealand, at home, later this year.
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