Mohammed Shami, one of India’s leading fast bowlers, was recently in the news after his wife Hasin Jahan accused him of domestic violence and extra-marital affairs. The allegations against Shami rocked Indian cricket and left his career hanging in the balance. Here is a look at the key events surrounding the controversy and what the future may hold for the talented pacer.
Allegations of Domestic Abuse and Infidelity
In March 2018, Shami’s wife Hasin Jahan posted screenshots of Shami’s alleged extramarital affairs on Facebook and accused him of domestic abuse. Jahan claimed that Shami insulted her and had affairs with multiple women, including a Pakistan woman named Alishba. She also posted photos of bruises on her body that she said were caused by Shami.
Jahan lodged a written complaint with the Kolkata police against Shami and four of his family members, accusing him of sexual harassment, attempt to murder, and physical and mental torture. Based on the complaint, Kolkata police charged Shami under various Indian Penal Code sections related to domestic violence and sexual harassment.
Shami Denies Allegations
Shami vehemently denied all the allegations leveled against him by his wife. He claimed that Hasin Jahan was trying to extort money from him and destroy his cricket career. Shami said that the screenshots shared by Jahan were doctored and he was being framed falsely.
Shami also asserted that he had cordial relations with his wife and the accusations came as a major shock to him. He pleaded his innocence and vowed to fight the false charges through the legal process.
BCCI Withholds Shami’s Central Contract
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) responded to the controversy by withholding Shami’s central contract until they could verify the facts of the case. The annual central contracts provide a guaranteed income to players along with other benefits.
The BCCI stated that although no criminal charges had been proven yet, it would follow its policy of waiting for law enforcement investigations to take their course before taking any action on Shami.
Police Investigations and Legal Proceedings
The Kolkata police conducted investigations into Hasin Jahan’s allegations against Mohammed Shami. They recorded statements from both parties and examined available evidence such as text messages, call records, bank details, etc.
After a thorough probe, the police filed a chargesheet against Shami in September 2018 under IPC sections 498A (domestic violence) and 354A (sexual harassment). The chargesheet will enable a court case to be initiated against the cricketer.
In parallel, Jahan had also filed a case in a Kolkata court demanding maintenance from Shami. Shami and his legal team requested the court to cancel the case and call it a result of malicious intent.
Shami Granted Bail
In May 2018, Mohammed Shami was granted bail by a Kolkata court in the case filed by his wife regarding domestic violence and sexual harassment. The court granted bail to Shami on the basis of parity with his brother and mother who had secured bail in the same case.
Shami’s legal team argued that the cricketer was innocent and wrongly accused, and the charges were a ploy to sabotage his career. They said Shami would continue cooperating with all investigative agencies.
Lie Detector Test
As part of the on-going investigation against him, Shami underwent a lie detector test conducted by Kolkata police in June 2018. The test was arranged after Shami made a request for it to prove his innocence.
Theresults of the polygraph test were not made public by the police. Some media reports stated the test indicated Shami was speaking the truth while rejecting his wife’s allegations.
BCCI Annual Retainers Contract
In September 2018, the BCCI announced its list of retained players for the 2018-19 season. Mohammed Shami was part of the 26 contracted players across three categories – A+, A, and B.
Shami was included in the B category which carries an annual retainership fee of Rs 3 crore. This indicated that he continued to enjoy the confidence of selectors despite the ongoing legal case.
Grade C Contract
In March 2019, BCCI demoted Shami from the B to the C category in its list of centrally contracted players. This meant his annual retainer fee reduced from Rs 3 crore to Rs 1 crore.
The downgrade came on account of Shami’s modest performances in the preceding domestic season. He had played only a handful of ODIs and T20Is for India during that period.
Restored to B Category
Based on his consistent bowling performances in 2019-20, the BCCI restored Shami to the B category in January 2020. This was a reward for his excellent showing during India’s home season.
Shami had picked up 13 wickets in 3 Tests against South Africa and another 13 wickets in 6 ODIs against the West Indies.
Police Close Investigation
In March 2021, Kolkata police submitted a final investigation report in Hasin Jahan’s case against Shami, stating they found no evidence against the pacer. The police requested the court to close proceedings against Shami.
This came as a major relief for Shami since the police chargesheet and court case had cast a shadow over his career. Shami thanked the Almighty for his name being cleared from the allegations.
Jahan Says Fight Not Over
Despite the police report giving Shami a clean chit, his wife Hasin Jahan maintained that she would continue her legal fight. She said many key pieces of evidence were still not examined.
Jahan’s lawyer also criticized the police investigation as one-sided and stated they would pursue the case vigorously and not let the matter fade away.
Shami’s Cricket Career Through Controversy
Mohammed Shami continued playing cricket at the highest level for India throughout the duration of the controversy with his wife. Although his central contract was on hold initially, he regained his spot thanks to strong performances.
Key Cricket Performances
Some of Shami’s standout cricket performances while the allegations and court case were ongoing:
- 13 wickets in 6 ODIs against West Indies in 2018
- 2nd fastest to 100 ODI wickets in 2017-18
- Shared India’s fast bowling load during historic first Test series win in Australia in 2018-19
- 13 wickets in 3 Tests against South Africa in 2019-20 home season
- 6 wickets in 3 ODIs against Australia in 2020
Shami maintained his reputation as one of India’s leading fast bowlers through this difficult personal period.
World Cup Selection
Shami was embroiled in the domestic abuse allegations during the Indian Premier League season in April-May 2018. There was some doubt whether he would be considered for 2019 World Cup selection.
However, thanks to strong performances, the selectors reposed faith in Shami by picking him in India’s 15-member squad for the mega event in England.
Shami proved worthy of the selectors’ trust by emerging as India’s second highest wicket-taker in the World Cup with 14 scalps from just 4 games.
What Does the Future Hold?
With Kolkata police giving Mohammed Shami a clean chit in March 2021, his immediate future as an India cricketer looks secure, subject to form, fitness and selection.
However, his wife Hasin Jahan has maintained the legal battle is still not over from her side. So there could be twists and turns in the court case drama in the coming months.
If Jahan is unable to prove any charges against Shami conclusively, the cricketer can look to put the saga firmly behind him and focus on cricket without unwanted distractions.
Chance to Reclaim Test Spot
Shami has fallen out of favor in the Test team recently, missing out on a central contract in that format. But he still remains a force in white ball cricket for India.
With India scheduled to play a mammoth Test series against Australia in 2020-21, Shami will hope to reclaim his Test spot and contribute to another historic series victory down under.
T20 World Cup Plans
The T20 World Cup is scheduled for October-November 2020 in Australia. The tournament has currently been postponed due to COVID-19.
Shami is clearly a part of India’s T20 bowling plans leading up to the next World Cup. He provides the firepower alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
If Shami can maintain fitness and form, he is likely to be a key weapon in India’s pace artillery for the T20 World Cup.
Building Partnerhsips
Shami has developed successful bowling partnerships for India across formats with fellow pacers Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.
As he moves past the controversy, Shami will aim to continue gelling well with India’s crop of young fast bowlers.
With a strong support system among his teammates, Shami can thrive professionally while the legal case runs its course.
Key Facts and Figures
Here is a summary of some essential facts and statistics related to Mohammed Shami’s cricket career:
| Test debut | November 2013 |
| ODI debut | January 2013 |
| T20I debut | March 2014 |
| Matches | 49 Tests, 77 ODIs, 11 T20Is |
| Wickets | 180 Tests, 144 ODIs, 12 T20Is |
| Best bowling | 6/56 Tests, 6/27 ODIs |
| Notable performance | Fastest Indian to 150 ODI wickets |
These figures highlight Shami’s importance as strike bowler for India across all formats. He will aim to boost these statistics in the coming years.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the domestic abuse allegations against Mohammed Shami by his wife Hasin Jahan led to a major controversy that threatened the Indian pacer’s career. While Shami denied the charges and cooperated with investigative agencies, the BCCI put his central contract on hold temporarily.
Even as the case progressed slowly through the legal system, Shami continued excelling on the field for India. His consistent bowling performances paved the way for his return to the list of BCCI contracted players.
With the police probe failing to uncover any substantive evidence against Shami, he can now look to firmly put the saga behind him. However, the court case may drag on if his wife chooses to continue the fight legally.
On the professional front, Shami remains a vital part of India’s pace bowling unit especially in limited overs cricket. If he maintains form and fitness, he is likely to spearhead India’s fast bowling in major tournaments like the T20 World Cup.
Going forward, Shami will be hoping to make headlines only due to his cricketing exploits on the field. He will aim to reclaim his spot across all formats and form part of India’s potent bowling combinations.