South African legend Dale Steyn revealed that he was pleading with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) management to sign star India pacer Mohammad Shami when he was associated with the franchise as bowling coach.
Steyn served as the bowling coach for SRH from 2021 to 2024, which was the peak years of Shami's career as he earned the purple cap in the 2023 season.
Shami was roped in by the Sunrisers for Rs 10 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction but he failed to make an impact as the right-arm quick struggled with fitness and rhythm.
Speculations are rife that Shami may get traded to Delhi Capitals or Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the auction or simply get released by the SRH. He picked up just six wickets in nine games during the IPL 2025 season.
"When I was bowling coach of Sunrisers, I was like, please, can we somehow get Mohammed Shami. And the moment that I wasn't there, they got him. So, I would be disappointed if you lost him. I think fitness and form play a key role when it comes to the IPL, especially with bowlers. You want bowlers to be fit," Steyn said while speaking to Star Sports during the lunch session of Day 1 of the first Test between India and South Africa in Kolkata.
"You want them to be firing, and if Shami is fit and firing, he'll make any team. But if he's been struggling a little bit and he's had a couple of months off, some teams might say, you know what, there are other players that we would like to come into the team right now because they're fit. They're firing, and you would have been good a year and a half. for us, but not right now."
"So that release might happen. But yeah, 3 years ago when I was there, I was begging for him," he added.
Shami's last appearance for India was during the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph in March. He is currently plying his trade in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal.
The 35-year-old has so far taken 15 wickets to power Bengal to successive wins in their first two Ranji Trophy matches against Uttarakhand and Gujarat before going wicketless against Tripura. More importantly, he has bowled 91 overs in three matches this season to prove his match fitness.
