Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami unfollowed Yuzvendra Chahal over Iran-related post? Fact Check
Published - 03 Mar 2026, 12:48 PM | Updated - 03 Mar 2026, 11:34 PM
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A fresh storm hit the India National Cricket Team, and this time, religion has become the issue among the cricketers in the middle of the war between the United States-Israel and Iran.
A social media post revealed that all is not well between India's leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, and ace Mohammed Shami.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s post sparks big controversy
Actually, Yuzvendra Chahal’s simple social media post turned into a big controversy as a fan claimed that Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami had unfollowed the Indian spinner due to this post, linked to the ongoing war between the United States-Israel and Iran.
It all started when Yuzvendra Chahal shared a picture of a man’s T-shirt. The message printed on it said, "Support the country you live in or go live in the country you support."
🚨Mohammed Siraj and Md Shami unfollowed Yuzi Chahal on Instagram 🚨 https://t.co/sJ6H4cEj0c pic.twitter.com/NKOaSlOoLV
— Courageous (@CourageousRo) March 2, 2026
Even though he did not directly talk about the war or the death of Iran’s leader, Ali Khamenei, many people connected his post to the ongoing emotional situation related to Iran.
Fans divided over the patriotism message
Some supporters said Yuzvendra Chahal was simply speaking about patriotism and respecting the country where you live, especially at a time when the situation is like the next world war. But some believed a public figure should be careful while sharing messages when emotions are already high.
Soon after the post went viral across the social media platforms, a user posted that both Siraj and Shami had removed Chahal from their following list on Instagram at a time when emotions were already high across parts of India following Ali Khamenei’s death.
Anger among the Shia community in India
Members of the Shia community came out on the streets in different parts of India after the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike by the United States-Israel. For many Shias, he was not just a political leader.
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Khamenei was a top religious guide, known as a Marja-e-Taqlid, and several Indian Muslims follow him for spiritual direction. In Lucknow, large crowds gathered near the famous Bara Imambara. People raised slogans and expressed deep sorrow.
In Srinagar, thousands came together. Women were seen holding Khamenei’s photographs. Many cried openly. Anger was visible on the streets. Slogans were also raised against the US and Israel. For the Shia community in cities like Srinagar, Lucknow, and Hyderabad, this loss felt personal, so for Mohammed Siraj.
FACT CHECK: Truth about the social media claims
Now, with all this background, Yuzvendra Chahal’s post became even more sensitive. The message felt so strong, but the claims that Siraj and Shami unfollowed the Indian spinner are FAKE. They are still following each other on Instagram, and those claims were just fake.
Notably, Shami and Chahal are not currently part of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, but Siraj is part of the national squad and is set to face England in the semifinal. Chahal, who was once India's leading wicket-taker in T20Is, has not been part of the national side since 2023.
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