NEW DELHI: Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami once wanted to commit suicide due to his personal problems which included legal dispute with his estranged wife.
In an interview, Shami revealed that he was struggling with severe mental conditions that he saw no other way than to take his own life.
“I was overweight, injured, and thought I would get no chance to play cricket again. Then my wife, we were going through a spoiled relationship. I think if my family had not supported me back then I would have lost my cricket. I thought of committing suicide three times during that period due to severe stress,” the 29-year-old said. “I was not thinking about cricket at all. We were living on the 24th floor. They [family] were scared I might jump from the balcony.”
He said that his family was monitoring him 24/7 and someone stayed with him all the time.
“Someone from my family, or my friend used to stay with me for 24 hours. they were too scared to see me stressed and they thought they will lose me. I was also thinking about taking this risk [of taking life] as I was unable to think anything. I was hearing voices in my ear, ‘Shami, you’re gone, you’re finished. Your career is finished and so is your personal [married] life,” he said.
“Thankfully, my family and my friends supported me alot. They kept telling me that I will soon be in the team and I will do good. They always encouraged me and gave me positive feelings. Whatever I am, it’s all with the efforts of them.”
The cricketer, who was deprived of his contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2018 over domestic violence allegations, made a comeback in the national team with last year’s World Cup where he displayed a stellar performance.
