Top 5 memorable spells of Mohammed Shami in Test cricket
Mohammed Shami made his Test debut against West Indies in November 2013.
Mohammed Shami has made a shocking retirement from Test cricket. The 36-year-old announced his decision on November 6 (Friday), marking the end of his 13-year-long Test career. Shami made his Test debut on November 6, 2013, against West Indies.
In this period, he represented his country in 64 Tests and finished with 229 wickets at an average of 27.71, with 12 four-wicket hauls and six five-wicket hauls. He retired with 13th most Test wickets by an Indian bowler.
Shami had a bowling strike rate of 50.2, which is the second-best among Indian bowlers after Jasprit Bumrah (42.86) with 100 or more Tests. He had a celebrated Test career for India, and here we discuss his top five spells in Test cricket.
List of Top 5 memorable spells of Mohammed Shami in Test cricket
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5. 5/44 vs South Africa, Vizag, 2019
Mohammed Shami had impressive numbers in the second innings of a Test match. One of his match-winning spells was recorded against South Africa in Vizag in October 2019. The wicket was assisting spin, but Shami displayed a master-class of reverse swing on Day 5.
He took 5/35 in 10.5 overs and helped India dismiss South Africa for 191 runs. India won that game by 203 runs, and his spell helped India win the game in the closing hours of the final day.
4. 5/47 vs West Indies, Kolkata, 2013
Shami recorded his best bowling figure in a Test match in 2013 at Eden Gardens against West Indies. Interestingly, it was his very first Test for the country. India recorded a big win by an innings and 51 runs, where Shami took nine wickets.
He took 4 wickets for 71 runs in the first innings, narrowly missing out on a well-deserved five-wicket haul. But in the second innings, he took five wickets and returned with a figure of 5/47. His match figure of 9/118 played a crucial role in India’s win and made his debut a memorable one.
3. 5/28 vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 2018
Team India have only won five Test matches on South African soil, and every win has been a memorable one. Shami played a crucial role in one of those wins, which was in 2018 in Johannesburg. India were trailing in the series 0-2, and they were bowled out for 187 runs in the first innings.
Shami came to bowl as the second-change bowler in the first innings and bowled a total of 12 overs. But in the second innings, India gave him the new ball, and he bagged 5/28 in 12.3 overs to take India to a 63-run win.
2. 5/44 vs South Africa, Centurion, 2021
Shami produced another match-winning spell to take India to a historic win in South Africa. It was the first Test of the 2021/22 tour in Centurion. Shami took 5/44 in the first innings to help India restrict South Africa to 197 runs, and India took a 130-run first-inning lead, which proved to be decisive in the game. Later, he also grabbed 3/63 in the second innings and took 8 wickets in the game.
1. 6/56 vs Australia, Perth, 2018
Shami recorded his best bowling figure in Test cricket against Australia in Perth during the 2018/19 BGT series. It was the first-ever test series win for India in Australia. Shami took 16 wickets in the series, and his best figure of 6/56 came in the second innings of the second Test.
At one stage, he was also on hat-trick, when he dismissed Tim Paine and Aaron Finch on consecutive games. He finished with six wickets in that game. Though India lost the game, his spell was recorded at the honour’s board.
When did Mohammed Shami make his test debut for India?
Mohammed Shami played his first test for India in November 2013 against West Indies at Eden Gardens.
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