Mohammad Shami became only the fifth Indian fast bowler to pick 200 wickets in Test cricket. He achieved the milestone with a five-wicket haul in the first Test match against South Africa on Tuesday (December 28).

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar recalled the struggle of Shami to reach where he is now in Indian cricket. The speedster was struggling with his fitness and his place in the team was also questioned, especially overseas. 

But the 31-year-old went through the hard phase of his career and succeeded in overcoming the challenges thrown at him. Bangar revealed Shami turned his agricultural lands into running track to maintain his fitness. 

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"There was a time in 2016 or 2017 when his fitness levels had dropped. He was also going through some tough times in his personal life. But he went back and took it seriously not getting selected on fitness grounds. I remember him telling me that when he went back during that phase - he is someone who has got some agricultural lands in UP – he made a running track on one of those fields and he used to work a lot on his distance running or his speed and agility run as well. And that's how he got his bowling fitness back," Bangar said on the Byjus's Cricket Live Show.

Bangar knows how to spot if Shami is in his rhythm or not. He looks at the run-up which gives him a good idea of whether the pacer is more likely to deliver with the ball or not. "It you look at Shami… just looking at his running… if he is not at his best then you will find that he is stuttering in his run-up when you look at him pacing through the run-up, placing and running nicely and fluently, you will realize that he has the balance," he pointed out.

Shami is the third fastest Indian pacer to reach 200 Test wickets, after Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath who did it in 50 and 54 Tests respectively.

(With Star Sports Inputs)