Whenever the story of Indian fast bowling is written, Mohammed Shami will always occupy a revered space among the pacers who troubled the world's best batsmen with his lethal seam movement. Following his announcement to step away from the longest format of the game, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has given him a special farewell, acknowledging that he defined an entire era of Indian fast bowling.
Shami made the announcement to retire from Test cricket on the night of November 6, bringing a definitive close to his 13-year journey in the traditional format. However, fans can take comfort in the fact that he will continue to represent the nation in One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals. The Board of Control for Cricket in India took to X on November 7 to honor his stellar contribution, thanking him for defining an era of Indian pace bowling while highlighting his Test cap number 279.
A Stellar Test Career Marked by 229 Wickets
At 36 years of age, Shami concluded his Test career with 229 wickets from 64 matches. Throughout this journey, he maintained a bowling average of 27.71 and claimed five-wicket hauls in an innings on 6 occasions. In the list of India's highest wicket-taking fast bowlers in Tests, he stands firmly in the sixth position. Kapil Dev tops this elite list with 434 wickets, followed by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma with 311 wickets each. Jasprit Bumrah with 234 wickets and Javagal Srinath with 236 wickets are the other pacers ahead of Shami.
Shami earned his Test cap on November 6, 2013, at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata against the West Indies. Over the course of his career, he spearheaded the Indian bowling attack to numerous memorable victories. He was particularly lethal in the conditions found in South Africa, the West Indies, and India. Across 35 Test matches played in these three regions combined, he grabbed 131 wickets at an impressive average of under 25.
Ravi Shastri Applauds the Pace Icon
Reacting to Shami's retirement, former India coach Ravi Shastri lauded the fast bowler's immense contribution while noting that he still had plenty of Test cricket left in him. Speaking during the second ODI against New Zealand, Shastri remarked on his brilliant career, stating that he was fortunate to be the coach during that phase and that Shami played a pivotal role in India's successes. He added that no bowler in the world presented the seam better than him. Notably, Shami has not played for the Indian team since the Champions Trophy held in February 2025, but his departure from Tests still leaves the door open for him in white-ball cricket.
