The Indian cricketing community was rocked last week after the emergence of the story of Mohammed Shami’s alleged abuse of his wife, Hasan Jahan. She claimed that he had cheated on her, abused her, his brother had raped her, and even that he conspired to murder her. She further alleged his shady meetings with individuals in Dubai, meant to point toward match-fixing. The BCCI has put his lucrative central contract on hold, as Shami finds himself in limbo pending further investigation in the lead-up to the IPL.

If it comes out that he is indeed guilty of what he is accused of, Mohammed Shami deserves nothing less than national disgrace and punishment not only by the BCCI, but also the judicial system. His status as a role model for the country makes it an additionally shameful act, as, whether or not he likes it, he has then let down not only his family but indeed his country at large. There is no currently apparent reason for Jahan to come out against Shami if he has done nothing wrong, and despite his status in the country and the sporting world at large, her words must be genuinely considered.

On the flip side, Mohammed Shami has shown nothing in his career that would indicate that he is as vile an individual as portrayed. Unlike when fellow pace merchant Sreesanth was found guilty of spot-fixing, and the public was able to point to a long history of disciplinary infractions and aggressive behavior, Shami has belied his raw pace with a calm, unassuming demeanor, seemingly focused on making the most of the opportunities his talent and hard work have afforded him. MS Dhoni, his one-time captain and never one for a misplaced word, has come out in his support, stating “As far as I know, Shami is a great human being. He cannot cheat on his wife and his country.”

“If this matter can be solved by talking, nothing can be better than that. Only patch up will do good for us and our daughter,” Shami was quoted as saying

Furthermore, Jahan has stated in the past that she maintains a friendship with Sakshi Dhoni, but these claims have been noticeably unsubstantiated. There are further rumors of her unpopularity and friction with other cricketing wives. Perhaps she is indeed an unreliable source and there is more to the story than meets the eye. It is too soon for us to fall in favor of either side, and all we can do now is wait and watch.

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