Former India head coach Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun revealed how Mohammed Shami’s anger over a plate of biryani during lunch led to a match-winning performance against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018. The incident occurred on the fourth day of the final Test match when South Africa needed 223 runs with eight wickets in hand to complete a series whitewash.The hosts had already secured the series by winning the first two matches. By lunch on the fourth day, South Africa had reduced the deficit to 171 runs with seven wickets remaining.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!During the lunch break, Shastri noticed Shami with a large serving of biryani on his plate while walking past.“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 recounted on Sony Sports.
Bharat Arun shared that Shastri approached Shami and questioned him about his hunger after seeing the biryani.“Ravi walked across and asked him, ‘tera bhook idhar theek ho gaya kya?’ (Is your stomach full after eating the biryani?)”Shami responded angrily by rejecting the plate of biryani completely.“Le le plate. Nahi chahiye biryani, bhaad main gaya biryani (Take the plate. I don’t want the biryani. It can go to hell),” Shastri recalled Shami saying.
Poll
Will the absence of Mohammed Shami impact India’s performance in the series?
Following this exchange, Shastri advised Arun to leave Shami alone.“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 channelise that in your bowling is another thing,” Arun shared.The anger proved beneficial as Shami went on to deliver a remarkable performance in the final innings. He claimed a five-wicket haul, with South Africa’s last seven batters managing to score only 22 runs between them.After the match concluded, Arun offered the same plate of biryani to Shami again, leading to a lighthearted moment.“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 recalled.The victory marked India’s second win at the Wanderers Stadium and their third overall victory on South African soil.
