Mohammad Shami, Rohit Sharma And Rahul Dravid. Photo- Star Sports Twitter
Mohammad Shami, Rohit Sharma And Rahul Dravid. Photo- Star Sports Twitter

Mohammad Shami, an Indian pacer, provided funny insights on his World Cup experiences, making the audience, including Indian captain Rohit Sharma and ex-coach Rahul Dravid, giggle at the CEAT Cricket Awards last month.

Mohammad Shami has represented India in three ICC World Cups: 2015, 2019, and 2023. He was the 2023 World Cup’s most wicket-taker, taking 24 wickets in just 7 matches, including three fifers, and posting the best bowling statistics of 7/57 against New Zealand in the semi-final.

However, Shami was not India’s first-choice bowler in the competition, as Rohit Sharma and his teammates preferred Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Hardik Pandya as fast-bowling alternatives.

However, after Hardik Pandya was hurt in a match against Bangladesh, India went with Mohammad Shami. Shami immediately performed, taking a brilliant fifer against New Zealand in Dharamshala. He followed that up with another fifer against Sri Lanka and four wickets against England.

Mohammad Shami Says He’s Habitual On Being Benched In ICC Events For India; Rohit Sharma And Rahul Dravid Laugh

During the CEAT Awards show, host Mayanti Langer was conversing with Mohammad Shami, who won the Men’s ODI Bowler of the Year award. She asked Mohammad Shami what drove him to keep pushing forward as he dealt with being a second-choice bowler at the 2023 World Cup.

Shami saw a common pattern throughout his World Cup career. Despite not being the first pick, he always had an important part to play when opportunities presented. This frank admission elicited a significant response from the audience. Rohit Sharma, along with former coach Rahul Dravid, were unable to conceal their amusement.

“Aadat pad gayi hai shayad, kyunki ’15 me, ’19 me and ’23 me, teeno me same start huwa hai. Aur jab mujhe mauka diya hai captain, coaches ne toh perform…aisa hi nikla hai ki phir inn logon ne kabhi socha nahi hai ki haan phir baitha de isko [I’ve gotten used to it, I think. In 2015, 2019, and 2023, I had the same start. But whenever the captain and coaches gave me a chance, I performed. So much so that they never thought about dropping me again],” Shami said in a video shared by Star Sports.

As the crowd laughed, Shami continued with his typical humor, “Mehnat kar sakte hai..hamesha main ready rahta hoon ki haan mujhe chance mile. Kyunki aap mujhe chance doge tabhi main kuch kar sakta hoon, varna table se toh pani hi pila sakta hoon bench se toh. So behtar he jab chance mile mauka le lo apne haath me [You can call it hard work, but I’m always ready for a chance. Only when you give me a chance can I prove myself. Otherwise, from the bench, all I can do is run onto the field to give water! It’s better to seize the opportunity when you get it].”

Here is the video:

Mohammad Shami’s words led to even Rohit Sharma, who captained India in the 2023 World Cup, and ex-head coach Rahul Dravid smiling.

Also Read: Huge Blow For Suryakumar Yadav!! Dreams Shatter As T20I Captain Misses This Tournament