Mohammed Shami has become the flavour of the season. Suddenly, everyone is talking about his past.
A section of Leftist commentators have started attributing his rise to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "When Shami didn’t get the chance to play in the Ranji Trophy for Uttar Pradesh, it was Mamata Banerjee who invited him to play for West Bengal. When no one bought Shami in the IPL, it was Shah Rukh Khan who bought him in 2012 for KKR and gave him a chance," says Dr. Nimo Yadav, whose tweet is about to register half a million views on X.
But what is the truth? Sports commentator Joy Bhattacharjya says that Shami started playing club cricket in Bengal around 2006, much before the TMC came to power in the State and much before the ascension of Banerjee. "Shame made his debut for Bengal in 2010, a year before Banerjee came to power. He was picked by the KKR team in 2011, outside the auction, on the recommendation of Jeet Banerjee and coach Dav Whatmore," he added.
There has been an attempt to peddle a political agenda in the wake of Shami's incredible performance in the ongoing World Cup tournament.
