A lookback at Mohammed Shami's glorious Test career
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Mohammed Shami made his Test debut in November.
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami shocked everyone by announcing his retirement from Test Cricket. On November 6, Friday, the 36-year-old took to social media and wrote a long post, confirming his retirement. He played the longest format from 2013 to 2023.
Shami made his Test debut exactly 13 years ago in November 2013 against West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. He played his last Test match for India against Australia in the World Test Championship 2023 final at the Oval.
The 36-year-old said in the video, “I am leaving the white jersey, but never the memories connected to it. When I first wore India’s Test jersey, I had only a dream – to do something for my country. After that, every wicket, every struggle, every injury and every comeback taught me something. Test cricket is not just a format for me, it is a very special part of my life. Today I am deciding to retire from Test cricket with a heavy heart and unlimited beautiful memories.”
Shami represented the country in 64 Test matches. He took 229 wickets, which made him the sixth-most successful Indian pacer after Kapil Dev (434), Zaheer Khan (311), Ishant Sharma (311), Javagal Srinath (236), and Jasprit Bumrah (234).
Here’s how Mohammad Shami performed in his Test career
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Shami had a tremendous start to his Test career, and his best bowling figures came in his first Test against the West Indies. He took 4/71 and 5/47 in two innings. His ability to seam the new ball and reverse-swing the old ball made him an impactful performer for India in the longest format.
During India‘s Test dominance period, he was one of the team’s key fast bowlers. Under Virat Kohli, Team India finished at No. 1 in the Test rankings between 2017 and 2021, and Shami played a key role.
The 36-year-old has produced many match-winning moments for India. Shami has great numbers in South Africa. He also took five-wicket hauls in India’s memorable wins against South Africa (2018 and 2021). India won their maiden Test series in Australia in 2018/19, where Shami finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets.
Shami also scored an unbeaten 56 at Lord’s Test in August 2021 and played a key role in one of India’s most memorable overseas wins. Shami holds the second-best bowling strike rate among Indians with 100 or more wickets.
Mohammad Shami’s Test Career Overview:
- Matches: 64
- Innings: 122
- Wickets: 229
- Economy Rate: 3.30
- Bowling Average: 27.71
- Best Bowling Figures: 6/56
- Best Match Figures: 9/118
- Strike Rate: 50.28
- Four-Wicket Hauls: 12
- Five-Wicket Hauls: 6
- Runs Scored: 750 (Highest Score: 56*)
When did Mohammed Shami make his Test debut for India?
Mohammed Shami made his Test debut for India against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in November 2013.
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