Cricket is more than just a game in India; it is a religion. Unfortunately, during the final Test between India and Australia at Ahmedabad on Friday, fans went overboard. After the day’s play, when the players came near the dugout, fans could be heard hollering “Shami, Jai Shree Ram.” The fans were insensitive and behaved inappropriately, knowing very well that Mohammed Shami, an Indian cricketer, is Muslim. The clip of this incident has gone viral on social media. It is disappointing to see fans crossing boundaries and bringing religion into the game.

Shami Ko Jai Shree Ram _ pic.twitter.com/rwVg1yMEaz
— Gems of Shorts (@Warlock_Shabby) March 9, 2023

Despite the negative incident, the Indian cricket team played well on the field. Openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma showed impressive performance in the remaining 10 overs of the day, remaining unbeaten on 18 and 17 respectively, as the hosts were 36/0. They trailed Australia by 444 runs at stumps on the second day of the fourth Test. The pitch at Narendra Modi Stadium still favored stroke play, and Rohit displayed his excellent timing skills by flicking and cutting off Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon with ease. Gill, on the other hand, played a short-arm jab on a short ball from Cameron Green before dancing down the pitch to smash a six off Lyon at the stroke of stumps.

Earlier, ace India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin displayed a magical display of skill and control by picking a six-wicket haul to bowl out Australia for 480. The pitch didn’t show much sign of sharp turn, but Ashwin single-handedly brought India back into the match, especially after having a wicketless morning session. He ended with figures of 6/91 in a relentless spell of 47.2 overs. His impressive performance shows the importance of experience and skill in Test cricket, and he proved to be a crucial asset for India.

It is important to note that while cricket is a game, it is also a sport that can bring people together. It is not about religion, race, or gender; it is about the game and the skill and passion of the players. Fans should respect this and refrain from bringing such elements into the game. The incident with Shami is a reminder of the need for respect and sportsmanship in cricket.