• Source:JND

IND vs SA: The Men in Blue were on the verge of losing a three-match Test series against South Africa way back in 2017-18. South Africa had already clinched the series by winning the first two Test matches and were about to win the series by 3-0 on Day 4 of the third Test match in Johannesburg.

While chasing a target of 241 runs, the hosts were 69/1 at lunch on the fifth day. They still had nine wickets remaining and needed 172 runs more to win and that's why the hosts were considered as the clear favorites to win the series.

At the time of the lunch break, team India's head coach Ravi Shastri found Mohammed Shami eating Biryani. And that's why Shastri made a cheeky comment which made Shami furious.

“It was Johannesburg, final day. There was enough heat in that game. On the last day, they needed 240 (241) runs, just 100 (172) to get. Eight (9) wickets in hand. It was lunchtime and as I was walking past, Shami’s plate. He had a massive helping of biryani," Shastri was quoted as saying on SonyLIV.

Bharat Arun, who was team India's bowling coach at that time revealed, “Ravi walked across and asked him (Shami), “‘Tera bhook idhar theek ho gaya kya?’ (Is your hunger over?)."

“‘Le le plate. Nahi chahiye biryani, bhaad main gaya biryani, nahi khaana hai’ (Take the plate, I don’t want biryani)" Mohammed Shami had then replied.

This left Shami angry as Shastri had requested Arun not to entertain the fast bowler and that instead he should focus on taking wickets.

“Ravi came to me and said, ‘Woh (Shami) gussa hai, usko aise he chor doh. Agar kuch baat karna hai to bolo, thoda wicket leke mujhe bata (He’s angry, leave him be. If he wishes to speak, tell him to take wickets). Being angry is one thing, but to channel that in your bowling is another thing," Arun said.

Shami let out all his anger on the Protea batters as they suffered a top-order batting collapse. He took a five-for as the hosts went from 124/1 to 177 all-out and thus the Men in Blue won the match by 63 runs.

“Game over. He came over and Arun went and gave biryani and said, ‘le, ab jitna khaana hai, khaa le (Take the biryani, eat as much as you want)," Shastri added.

Shami was then heard as saying, “‘Humko hamesha gussa karao, phir theek ho jaate hai’ (Get me angry all the time, I will be fine)."

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