Mohammed Shami retires from Test cricket after 2013-2023 career

Mohammed Shami, the Indian pacer, announced his retirement from Test cricket on November 6 via social media, bringing to a close a career that began with his Test debut against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in November 2013 and concluded in the World Test Championship 2023 final at The Oval. The 36-year-old confirmed the decision in a long social-media post.

The 36-year-old played the longest format from 2013 to 2023 and represented India in 64 Test matches. He finished his Test career with 229 wickets, placing him sixth among Indian pace bowlers behind Kapil Dev (434), Zaheer Khan (311), Ishant Sharma (311), Javagal Srinath (236) and Jasprit Bumrah (234).

Shami had a strong start to his Test career, recording his best bowling figures in his debut match against the West Indies with 4/71 and 5/47 across the two innings. Those performances underlined his ability to seam the new ball and to reverse-swing the old ball, attributes that made him an influential figure in the longest format.

During India’s period at the top of the Test rankings, Shami served as one of the team’s lead fast bowlers; under Virat Kohli, India held the No. 1 Test ranking between 2017 and 2021 and Shami was an important contributor. He produced numerous match-winning moments and posted strong returns in South Africa, including five-wicket hauls in India’s wins against South Africa in 2018 and 2021.

In India’s maiden Test series victory in Australia in 2018/19, Shami finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets. He also scored an unbeaten 56 at Lord’s in August 2021 and holds the second-best bowling strike rate among Indians with 100 or more wickets.

He took to social media and wrote a long post, confirming his retirement. 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.”