Although Mohammed Shami made his debut for his country under MS Dhoni, some of his best performances were when Virat Kohli was the Indian team’s captain. On and off the pitch, Shami and Kohli have a strong bond. They have both played a key role in India’s victories in numerous crucial games.
Mohammed Shami recently said that he was unaware of the origin of his nickname “Lala.” Shami added that he finds it difficult to comprehend the significance of the name.
However, the Bengali seamer believes that the name might have been created by Virat Kohli.
“I’m not sure when it became permanent either. It might have been Virat. That’s all he does. At one point, I was wondering what type of name Lala was—even Shahid Afridi had it. However, I didn’t know why I was given this name. I’m not overweight. I’m not as good at jewellery making as some of the individuals (lala) are. However, you are given some names when you join the squad. They annoy you more on the team if you try to debate about it. In a News 24 interview, he stated, “So I let it be.”
Shami identifies a hitter who would have caused him problems.
Shami was asked if Rohit Sharma or Kohli is the more difficult batter to bowl to in the Indian Premier League. The 34-year-old praised both of the Indian cricketing mainstays’ batting prowess.
“Up until now, no batter has ever appeared in front of me who would fulfil my goals, or I have to give the game a lot of thought or endure pressure. Depending on who is set, yes. Kohli and Rohit are both outstanding athletes and significant figures in Indian history. They’ve established themselves,” he remarked.
Bowling to Cheteshwar Pujara would have been quite challenging, according to Shami. The Amroha native said he felt fortunate to be on the same Test cricket team as the recently retired Pujara.
Selectors apparently had doubts about Shami’s fitness, hence he was left out of India’s squad for the England tour. Additionally, the veteran was left off of India’s squad for the next Asia Cup. Shami will remind the selectors about his class and try to win the Duleep Trophy for East Zone.
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