The incident happened during 2018 Jo'Burg Test between South Africa and India.
An untold narrative about Mohammed Shami was shared by former India coaches Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun on Tuesday. Shami's fury now drove one of his best performances, which helped the team defeat South Africa in Johannesburg.
In the 2018 match, India won by 63 runs thanks to Shami's five wickets, and the match was concluded in four days. It was the series' last Test match against South Africa. The trophy had already been captured by the hosts, who had won the first two games.
With eight wickets remaining on the fourth day of the match in Johannesburg, the Proteas were about to write a landslide victory with 223 needed.
With seven wickets remaining, the margin had dropped to 171 runs at lunchtime. Shastri told Sony Sports that he noticed Shami's plate was piled high with biriyani as he was passing by.
"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," Shastri said on Sony Sports.
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?)"Arun said.
Shami, however, reacted angrily and refused to eat the biriyani platter. Arun went on to state that Shastri told him to stop talking to Shami and to tell him to obtain 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."
As the final seven South Africa batters combined for just 22 runs, Shami ran wild in the last innings, taking five wickets.
The right-arm pacer grinned and said they should always enrage him when Arun offered Shami the same plate of biriyani following his valiant actions.
"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.
Here is the video: