Indian pacer Mohammed Shami recently shared some fun and heartfelt stories about his bond with former captain Virat Kohli during his appearance on the popular show Aap Ki Adalat hosted by Rajat Sharma. The chat, which aired from New Delhi, gave fans a glimpse into Shami’s easygoing personality and his journey in cricket.
Shami laughed off the "lazy" tag that Kohli once gave him. "Your body gets tired after a Test match, right? I might have taken a quick nap, but hey, I don’t mind the lazy label," Shami said with a grin. He explained that fast bowlers like him run the most on the field and handle the toughest jobs. "Whenever there’s a situation, they call the pacer. But off the field, if a guy relaxes, what’s the harm? It’s just Virat’s mischief calling me lazy or ‘lala’—I’m neither fat nor do I sell jewellery!" Shami added, poking fun at the playful banter in the Indian team. "If you’re in the team, you’re bound to get some nickname."
The conversation turned light-hearted when Shami recalled his struggles with speaking English during a New Zealand series interview. "I said whatever broken English I remembered—’Bol Diya Toota-Foota Jo Yaad Tha’," he shared. Shami had dragged Kohli along for support because of the Kiwis’ tricky accent. "I was trying my best to answer in English. After it ended, Virat asked, ‘Why did you even bring me?’" Shami chuckled.
On his English skills, Shami stayed confident and straightforward. "Sir, I try! I never feel ashamed. If you don’t know a language, just say so and speak in Hindi. We’re not like Pakistanis—we won’t pretend if we can’t," he quipped, drawing laughs from the audience.
Shami also touched on a touching moment with Kohli and his family. He revealed that Kohli often chatted with his mom over speakerphone but had never met her in person. "My family rarely watches matches—they came after 7-8 years for the Champions Trophy game. Mom was called onto the ground, and when I told Virat, ‘Mummy aayi hai,’ he immediately touched her feet. It was such a sweet gesture."
Shami’s recent cricket form hasn’t been his best, though. His last competitive outing was on May 2 in the IPL, playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Gujarat Titans. It was a tough day—he didn’t take a wicket and leaked 48 runs in just three overs. In the 2025 IPL season overall, the 34-year-old picked up only six wickets in nine matches for SRH.
He missed India’s big Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series in England earlier this year and hasn’t been selected for the September Asia Cup. Shami’s last game for India was the ICC Champions Trophy in March, where he led the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. Shami shone there, grabbing nine wickets in five matches to tie as India’s top wicket-taker alongside Varun Chakravarthy. His efforts helped India win the title by beating New Zealand in the final— a high point in an otherwise quiet year.
Shami’s last Test match for India was back in 2023 against Australia in England. Fans are now watching closely: Will he make a comeback for the home series against West Indies or the white-ball games against Australia? Shami’s story shows the ups and downs of a fast bowler’s life, but his spirit keeps everyone hooked.
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