"Bhaad main gaya biryani"- Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun recall how Mohammed Shami's anger destroyed South Africans in the 2018 test series

Mohammed Shami ended up taking five wickets as India won the Johannesburg Test against South Africa.

Former Indian Cricket Team coaches Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun shared an untold story about Mohammed Shami, revealing how his fury fueled one of his finest performances against the South Africa Cricket Team in Johannesburg.

During India’s 2018 Test series in South Africa, Mohammed Shami played a crucial role in the final match, helping India secure a 63-run victory in just four days. Despite losing the first two tests, India ended the series on a high note, with Shami taking five wickets.

On the fourth day, South Africa seemed poised for victory, needing 223 runs with eight wickets in hand. By lunchtime, the equation had improved for the hosts, with just 171 runs required and seven wickets remaining.

As Shastri walked past during the lunch break, he noticed Shami’s plate piled with biryani. He recalled the moment, saying, “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.”

Arun then revealed how Shastri tested Shami’s hunger, asking, “Ravi walked across and asked him, ‘tera bhook idhar theek ho gaya kya?'” (Is your stomach full after eating the biryani?). Shami, visibly furious, refused the food outright, with Shastri telling Arun to let him be and focus on 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), Shastri added.

Mohammed Shami runs through South Africa batting, taking 5/28 and winning the game for India

As Mohammed Shami channelled his anger into his bowling, he ripped through the Proteas lineup, dismissing the final seven batters in a flash. Thanks to his heroics with the ball, South Africa faced a terrible collapse as they fell from 131 for three to 177 all out in no time.

After India’s triumph, Arun teasingly handed Shami the same plate of biryani, prompting the pacer to grin and say, “Humko hamesha gussa karao phir theek ho jaate hai” (Make me angry all the time, then I become fine). “Typical Shami,” Shastri concluded.

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