Mohammed Shami retires from Test cricket, ending a chapter in India’s pace bowling

Mohammed Shami announced his retirement from Test cricket late on Friday night, November 6, 2026, in Chennai, bringing an end to his Test career at age 36.

A right-arm quick noted for effectiveness in both morning sessions and the post-lunch period, Shami finished with 229 wickets from 64 Tests; injuries limited his output and the article says he "could have bagged 300 scalps" had he remained fully fit. His final Test tally ranks him fifth among Indian fast bowlers, behind Kapil Dev, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath.

The piece frames Shami’s departure as the close of a particular era in Indian pace bowling, noting that Jasprit Bumrah "will go past Shami soon" and that Bumrah "remains the link" while Mohammed Siraj "is expected to nurse the flame."

Shami, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and established himself as a spearhead with Bengal, made his India Test debut at Eden Gardens against the West Indies in 2013, the same match in which Rohit Sharma also debuted and scored 177. The article underlines Eden Gardens as his home ground.

It notes that the playing eleven from that match, "ranging from the great Sachin Tendulkar to Pragyan Ojha, now the current chief selector," have largely moved into their post-Test phases, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continue to appear in ODIs.

According to the report, Shami spent three years attempting to reclaim a place in the Test side: after recovering from injury he worked hard for Bengal, but the selectors remained unconvinced about his ability to endure five-day cricket. When he missed selection for the current New Zealand tour, the article says Shami "turned pragmatic."

Having missed the New Zealand tour, Shami will continue to play white-ball formats, and the report describes his Test retirement as a loss for Indian cricket.