Mohammed Shami Retires from Test Cricket After 64 Matches and 229 Wickets

India’s speedster Mohammed Shami has retired from Test Cricket ending 13 year long career in the longest format. He made his Test debut against the West Indies back in November 2013 and had a total of 229 wickets in 64 matches with a career average of 27.71. He became one of India’s most prominent fast bowling options due to his excellent seam line, reverse swing and hitting the stumps. However, he will play white ball formats such as domestic and the Indian Premier League.

Mohammed Shami – Test Career Summary

Shami made his Test debut on the 6th November 2013 against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. In his debut he took 9 wickets for 118 runs, his best match figures in Test Cricket.

Shami quickly became an important part of India’s pace attack. He had an excellent seam line, reverse swing and hit the stumps regularly making him a very effective bowler in all conditions.

Test Career Stats

Aspect	Details
Matches	64
Wickets	229
Average	27.71
Economy Rate	3.31
Strike Rate	50.28
5 Wicket Hauls	6
4 Wicket Hauls	12
Best Innings	6/56
Best Match	9/118
Test Debut	6th November 2013
Last Test	June 2023

Key Achievements

• 229 Wickets in Test Career – 6th highest wicket taker for India in Test history.
• Six 5 Wicket Hauls – 6 innings with 5 or more wickets.
• Strong Home Performer – Took wickets at an average of 22.1 and strike rate of 42.6 at home.
• Excellent Bowler 2nd Innings – Extremely effective during the second innings making use of his seam movement and reverse swing.
• Successful Home Series – India won 31 out of the 64 tests he played in. They were never beaten in a Test series at home whilst Shami played for them. (13 draws)

Key Moments in his Test Career

Some key moments in Shami’s Test Career include,

• Test debut against West Indies – Took 9 wickets for 118 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
• Test against South Africa in Johannesburg – Took 5 wickets for 28 runs in the second innings helping India win the match.
• Test in Centurion against South Africa – Took 8 wickets in the match during the historic victory for India.
• England series – Played an important role during the 4-0 series win at home. His wicket to wicket bowling caused issues with opposition batters.

Why was Mohammed Shami Effective in Test Cricket?

Shami was known for his seam movement, swing and accuracy. He had a good seam line which allowed him to get seam movement from the pitch. He also had excellent reverse swing meaning he could be a threat with the old ball.

Shami had a large amount of wickets taken from hitting the stumps. Around 45% of his wickets were taken from bowled and LBW.

Shami was a very effective bowler during the second innings. The new pitch conditions and old ball meant he could make use of his reverse swing.

Shami’s Last Test Match

Shami made his last Test appearance in the 2021/23 ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval, London in June 2023. India lost the game by 209 runs.

Shami announced his retirement on the 6th November 2026, exactly 13 years after his Test debut. In his retirement statement he thanked his coaches, physios, physiotherapists, teammates and fans for their support during his career.

However, he hasn’t retired completely. Shami plans on continuing to play white ball cricket in One Day Internationals, domestic and the Indian Premier League. He will also continue to be involved with Bengal in domestic cricket.