Indian pacer alleges selection bias by Kohli and Shastri in 2019 World Cup

While he did not name Kohli and Shastri directly, his comments clearly pointed to the duo who were in charge during the 2019 World Cup

PHOTO: AFP

Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami made a startling accusation against former captain Virat Kohli and ex-head coach Ravi Shastri.

In an interview with Shubhankar Mishra on the YouTube show 'Unplugged,' Shami claimed that the duo consciously ignored him during the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, despite his notable performance throughout the tournament.

Shami's performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup further underscored his abilities. He picked up 24 wickets in seven games while battling a heel injury, replacing the injured Hardik Pandya and finishing as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament.

Unfortunately, his heel injury worsened, necessitating surgery abroad.

“In 2019, I did not play the first 4-5 games. In the next game, I took a hat-trick, then picked up a five-wicket haul and then four wickets in the next game," Shami said.

“I did not play in the first few games and then picked five, then four wickets and then a five-wicket haul again,” he added.

The right-arm pacer indirectly criticized Kohli and Shastri for ignoring him during the crucial 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. Despite picking 13 wickets in three games and 14 overall in the tournament, he was left out of the knockout game.

“The one thing I keep wondering is every team needs players who can perform well. I took 13 wickets in three matches. What more do you expect from me? I neither have questions nor do I have answers. I can only prove myself when I get the opportunity. You gave me a chance, and I took 13 wickets in three matches. Then we lost to New Zealand. I played four matches overall and picked 14 wickets. In 2023, I picked 24 wickets in seven matches,” he concluded.

Shami clarified that he never raised the issue with anyone, believing that those who have faith in his abilities would come to him. While he did not name Kohli and Shastri directly, his comments clearly pointed to the duo who were in charge during the 2019 World Cup.

India's loss to New Zealand by 18 runs in the semi-final was a heartbreaking exit from the tournament, and Shami's allegations add a new layer to the post-mortem of that campaign.