Whenever fast bowling is discussed in the rich history of Indian cricket, Mohammed Shami's name will undoubtedly be taken with immense respect and pride, while his sharp and accurate bowling troubled legendary batsmen across the globe for a long time. Following his major decision to retire from Test cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, commonly known as the BCCI, has given him a very special and memorable farewell, while the board officially described Mohammed Shami as a bowler who defined an era of Indian fast bowling.
The experienced fast bowler Mohammed Shami made the surprising announcement of bidding adieu to Test cricket on the night of November 6. This declaration brought a definitive halt to his 13-year long and illustrious Test career. However, for his ardent fans, the comforting news is that he will continue playing limited-overs cricket, which includes One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals. The Board of Control for Cricket in India shared a special message on its official social media platform on November 7, commemorating his monumental contribution. The board wrote, thank you for defining an era of Indian fast bowling, Test cap number 279.
Taking over 200 wickets in 64 Test matches
Thirty-six-year-old experienced fast bowler Mohammed Shami concluded his magnificent Test career by claiming a total of 229 wickets across 64 matches. 71, highlighting his remarkable consistency in red-ball cricket. Also, he achieved the stellar feat of taking five or more wickets in a single innings on six occasions during his career. He firmly secured the sixth position in the prestigious list of fast bowlers with the most wickets in Test cricket for India. In this all-time list, the legendary Kapil Dev proudly stands at the top spot with 434 wickets. On the other hand, former stalwarts Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have 311 wickets each to their names. On top of that, Jasprit Bumrah with 234 wickets and fast bowler Javagal Srinath with 236 wickets remain ahead of Mohammed Shami on this chart.
The historic beginning of a glorious Test career
Mohammed Shami began his Test career on November 6, 2013, against the West Indies at the historic Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata. During his long and successful career, he delivered numerous historic and memorable successes to the Indian bowling attack. His performance was particularly outstanding and commendable on the bouncy pitches of South Africa, the pitches of West Indies, and the challenging conditions of the Indian subcontinent. In a total of 35 Test matches played across these three primary locations, he captured 131 wickets while maintaining a bowling average of under 25, proving his dominance on foreign soil.
Ravi Shastri showers high praise on Mohammed Shami
Following Mohammed Shami's departure from Test cricket, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri also shared his thoughts openly, while he heavily praised the priceless contribution of the fast bowler while also making a significant statement that he still had plenty of Test cricket left in him. While speaking to broadcasters during the second One Day International in New Zealand, Ravi Shastri remarked that it has been a fantastic career. He considered himself very fortunate to be the coach of the Indian team at that time. Shami played a vital role in India's success both at home and abroad. Without him, the Indian fast bowling unit wouldn't have functioned in that manner. There was hardly any bowler in the entire world who presented the seam of the ball better than Mohammed Shami. Notably, Mohammed Shami has not played any competitive match for the Indian national team since the conclusion of the Champions Trophy held in February 2025. However, despite bidding farewell to Test cricket, all doors remain wide open for him to continue playing limited-overs cricket, allowing fans to watch him in action moving forward.