'Le le plate. Nahi chahiye biryani': Ravi Shastri recalls cheeky 'lunch' chat that infuriated Shami and sparked heroics

Former India coaches Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun, on Tuesday, revealed an unheard story about Mohammed Shami, of now anger had fueled one of his best performances and subsequently led the team to a win against South Africa in Johannesburg. India had wrapped up the game inside four days as Shami's five-wicket haul helped India win by 63 runs in the 2018 contest. Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun recalled Mohammed Shami's Johannesburg heroics

It was the final Test match of the series against South Africa. The hosts had already won the opening two matches, and thus claimed the trophy. On the fourth day of the contest in Johannesburg, the Proteas, with eight wickets in hand, were on the verge of scripting a whitewash, with 223 required.

By lunch, the deficit had reduced to 171 runs with seven wickets in hand. Speaking to Sony Sports, Shastri recalled that as he was walking past Shami, he saw his plate was full of biriyani.

"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," he said.

Former India bowling coach Arun revealed that Shastri then asked the veteran bowler if his hunger was over after having that biriyani.

"Ravi walked across and asked him, "tera bhook idhar theek ho gaya kya?" (Is your stomach full after eating the biryani?)"

But an angry Shami rejected the plate of biriyani, saying he does not want to eat it. Arun added that Shastri advised him to leave Shami alone, saying if you want to talk to him, tell him to get wickets instead.

"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 said.

Arun added: "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 channelize that in your bowling is another thing."

'Humko hamesha gussa karao...'

Shami ran riot in the final innings, picking up a five-wicket haul as the last seven South Africa batters managed just 22 runs among themselves. When Arun finally offered that same plate of biriyani to Shami after his heroics, the right-arm pacer smiled and suggested they should always make him angry.

"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 said.

That win was India's second at the Wanderers Stadium and third overall on South African soil.

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