Shastri Taunted Shami About 'Full Plate Biryani'. Angry Pacer Took 5 Wickets
Over the years, veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami has delivered some excellent bowling spells, both in red-ball and white-ball cricket. However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has revealed that infuriating Shami would often help him channelize his anger into good performances. Shastri revealed a memorable incident, where he had cheekily teased Shami about eating biryani to get him fired up in a Test against South Africa in Johannesburg. It ended up doing the trick, as Shami took a five-wicket haul to fire India to victory.
India were on the verge of a series whitewash, with South Africa needing less than 100 runs with seven wickets in hand. However, an incident between head coach Shastri and pacer Shami at Lunch on the final day fired up the pacer.
Shastri had spotted Shami with a big plate of biryani, and proceeded to tease the pacer about it.
"There was enough heat in that game. Lunchtime, I was walking past, and I saw Shami's plate. He had a massive helping of biryani," Shastri narrated, in a video posted by Sony Sports Network.
"Tera bhook idhar theek ho gaya kya? (Is your hunger gone already?)" Shastri said, taunting Shami, as narrated by India's then-bowling coach Bharat Arun.
Shami responded angrily to Shastri, and refused to have the biryani.
"Le le plate. Nahi chahiye biryani (Take the plate. I don't need the biryani). The biryani can go to hell," Shami replied, as narrated by Shastri.
Shastri then seemingly walked up to Arun, asking him to let Shami remain angry.
"He is angry. Leave him alone. If he wants to speak to you, tell him to take some wickets and then talk," was Shastri's instruction to Arun.
As it turned out, Shami fuelled his anger into his performance with the ball. India ran through the South African middle and lower order in the following session, taking the last seven wickets in the space of 33 runs. India won the match by 63 runs. Shami was instrumental, taking up four of the last five wickets, adding to his earlier scalp of opener Aiden Markram.
"Being angry is one thing, but to channel that anger in your bowling is another thing," Arun explained.
Shami ended with figures of 5/28 in 12.3 overs, and his effort spared India the blushes of a 0-3 series whitewash.
Hilariously, Bharat Arun proceeded to offer the pacer biryani after the match, to which Shami replied, "First you'll anger me, and then it becomes alright".
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