BARBADOS: West Indies paceman Kemar Roach has admitted that he had thought his international career was over after sustaining a serious shoulder injury in 2014.
The 29-year-old had to undergo a surgery after he broke his right shoulder during India tour in 2014.
Prior to donning the white jersey for West Indies for the ongoing three-match Test series against England, Roach had feared that he would never manage to return to the ground or would take long to regain his bowling pace.
"I had some doubts [whether I would return]. It was a pretty tough time. Breaking your shoulder is not easy but a lot of hard rehab and hours of training got me back here. I'm proud of myself to be able to come back and perform for the West Indies,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the pacer as saying.
Roach, who gave West Indies a decent chance of securing their first series ever win in England since 1988, became sixth Caribbean player to earn a place on the Lord's honours board for overseas bowlers during the third Test which begun on Friday.
Reflecting on the same, Roach said that it means a lot to him to earn a place on the honours board.
"It means a lot to earn a place on that honours board. There are a lot of players went before me, the likes of Courtney Walsh and Malcolm Marshall. And a lot of players who have come here and never got it done. So to be part of that board is history,” he added.
Roach had bowled impressively throughout the ongoing series and that he has now also joined a distinguished list of West Indies cricketers to have claimed five-wicket hauls at 'the home of cricket'.