Mohammed Shami made his international debut under MS Dhoni, but his best performances came while Virat Kohli was captain of the Indian squad. On and off the field, Shami and Kohli have a strong bond. They have both played a key role in India’s victories in numerous crucial games.
Mohammed Shami recently said that he was unaware of the origin of his nickname “Lala.” However, the Bengali seamer believes that the name might have been created by Kohli. Shami added that he finds it difficult to comprehend the significance of the name.
“I also do not know when it became permanent. Virat may have done it. He only does such things. I was just thinking, once, what kind of a name is Lala, even Shahid Afridi had that name. But I did not understand why I had this name. I am not fat. There are people (lala) who do jewelry work, but I don’t do that as well. But when you come to the team, you get some names. If you try to argue about it, they irritate you more in the team. So I let it be,” he said in an interview with News 24.
Mohammed Shami picks the batter who could have tested his skills the most
Mohammed Shami was asked if Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli is the more difficult batter to bowl to in the Indian Premier League. The 34-year-old praised both of the Indian cricketing mainstays’ batting prowess.
“There has been no batter till now in front of me who would come in my dreams, or I have to think a lot about or take pressure before the match. It depends on who is set. Both (Kohli and Rohit) are great players, and both are big individuals in Indian history. They have made a name for themselves.”
Mohammed Shami
Bowling to Cheteshwar Pujara would have been quite challenging, according to Shami. The Amroha native said he felt fortunate to be on the same Test cricket team as the recently retired Pujara.
Selectors apparently had doubts about Shami’s fitness, hence he was left out of India’s squad for the England tour. Additionally, the veteran was left off of India’s squad for the next Asia Cup. Shami will remind the selectors about his class and try to win the Duleep Trophy for East Zone.
