Hyderabad: The Indian team management has rewarded Mohammed Shami by providing him with a business class seat on domestic flight for his match-winning performance for Team India in the recently concluded Test series against South Africa.
Shami and Ishant Sharma have already enjoyed the facility once each during the home series against South Africa.
In a fresh attempt to keep players motivated the team management decided to reward the top performers of every game with business class seats on flights while the rest of the squad will travel in economy class.
Shami's seat was upgraded to business class after his match-winning five-wicket haul in the fourth innings of Visakhapatnam Test that saw South Africa going down to India by an innings and 137 runs in the first Test.
India later made it 2-0 thrashing the Proteas by 203 runs in Pune where Shami collected three wickets. He followed it up with a match fifer in Ranchi Test.
"The entire team can't get seats in business class. Those seats are few in number. So the team management decided to reward business class seats for performers. After the Vizag Test, Shami was given a business class seat. Before that Ishant got it," a BCCI source said.
Meanwhile, players and team management have also decided to reward Test and limited-overs vice-captains Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma with plus-size rooms in hotels during home and overseas tours.
Till date, only the captain and coach enjoys this facility while the rest of the players stay in normal rooms.
"Now it is decided that the vice-captain should get the third suite as he is the second-most important person in the team," a source said.
