A anecdote regarding bowler Muhammad Shami’s fondness for biryani has been shared by former India head coach Ravi Shastri. The 63-year-old talked about an event that happened in Johannesburg in 2018 when India had 223 runs to defend with the ball and needed eight wickets to win on the fourth day.
By lunchtime, South Africa had seven wickets remaining and the margin had shrunk to 171 runs. As he passed Shami, Shastri disclosed that there was a lot of biryani on the pacer’s plate.
“It was Johannesburg. Final day. There was enough heat in that game. That match on the last day, they needed 240, just 100 runs to get. Eight wickets in hand. It was lunchtime and as I was walking past, Shami’s plate. He had a massive helping of biryani there,” Shastri told Sony Sports.
After Shami finished the biryani, Shastri asked him if his stomach was full, according to former India bowling coach Bharat Arun.
Arun stated:
“Ravi walked across and asked him, “tera bhook idhar theek ho gaya kya?” (Is your stomach full after eating the biryani?)”
In rage, the pacer handed Shastri the plate of biryani, claiming he did not want to eat it. Arun added that he was advised by Shastri that Shami was upset and that he should order the pacer to go take wickets.
“Le le plate. Nahi chahiye biryani, bhaad main gaya biryani (Take the plate.I don’t want the biryani. It can go to hell),” the former India head coach revealed what Shami said.
“Ravi came to me and said, ‘Woh (Shami) gussa hai, usko aise he chod doh.’ (He is angry. Leave him alone). ‘Agar kuch baat karna hai toh bolo, thoda wicket leke mujhe batao’ (If he wants to speak, tell him to go get wickets in the middle). Being angry is one thing, but to channelize that in your bowling is another thing,” Arun said.
In the second innings, Arun went to offer Shami biryani after he had swept through South Africa. The pacer requested management to constantly irritate him.
“Game over. He came over and Arun went and gave ‘biryani le, ab jitna khaana hai, khaa le (Take the biryani, eat as much as you want). Humko hamesha gussa karao phir theek ho jaate hai (Make me angry all the time, then I become fine). Typical Shami,” Shastri said.
Mohammad Shami Destroys South Africa in Stunning Second Innings
South Africa needed 224 runs to win at 17/1 at the start of the fourth day. At tea, the hosts were at 136/3. Shami dominated the Protean batting lineup during the post-tea session, bowling South Africa out for 177 runs and helping India win by 63 runs with stats of 5/28.
It was India’s second victory at the Wanderers Stadium and their third overall in South Africa. At the same location in 2006, they had won their first-ever match on South African soil. But even with the victory, the visitors lost the three-match series 1-2.
