Mohammed Shami announced his retirement from Test cricket on Friday, November 6.
The right-arm pacer shared the news through an Instagram post.
He finishes his red-ball career with 229 wickets across 64 Tests.
Right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami has retired from Test cricket. He announced his retirement on Friday, November 6, through an emotional Instagram post.
Shami debuted for India on November 6, 2013, and chose the exact date to step away from the format. However, the veteran pacer had been out of favour with the selectors for a long time, last representing India in Tests against Australia in 2023 during the World Test Championship final at The Oval in London.
During his decade-long career, Shami picked up 229 wickets in 64 Tests, with a strike rate of 50.2 and an average of 27.71. He finished as the 12th-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests.
Highest Test Wickets For India
| Name | Span | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate |
| Anil Kumble | 1990-2008 | 132 | 619 | 29.65 | 2.69 | 65.99 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 2011-2024 | 106 | 537 | 24 | 2.83 | 50.73 |
| Kapil Dev | 1978-1994 | 131 | 434 | 29.64 | 2.78 | 63.91 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 1998-2015 | 103 | 417 | 32.46 | 2.84 | 68.53 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 2012-2026 | 91 | 356 | 25.3 | 2.59 | 58.58 |
| Ishant Sharma | 2007-2021 | 105 | 311 | 32.4 | 3.15 | 61.6 |
| Zaheer Khan | 2000-2014 | 92 | 311 | 32.94 | 3.27 | 60.4 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | 1966-1979 | 67 | 266 | 28.71 | 2.14 | 80.31 |
| Bhagwat Chandrasekhar | 1964-1979 | 58 | 242 | 29.74 | 2.7 | 65.96 |
| Javagal Srinath | 1991-2002 | 67 | 236 | 30.49 | 2.85 | 64 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2018-2025 | 52 | 234 | 19.79 | 2.77 | 42.86 |
| Mohammed Shami | 2013-2023 | 64 | 229 | 27.71 | 3.3 | 50.28 |
Shami's Test debut for India was unforgettable. He claimed four wickets in the first innings before following up with a five-wicket haul in the second against the West Indies in 2013.
His match tally of nine wickets is the joint-second-most for an Indian on Test debut, trailing only Narendra Hirwani's legendary 16-wicket match haul (eight in each innings).
Most Wickets On Debut For India
| PLAYER | OVERS | RUNS | WICKETS | ECONOMY | AGAINST | VENUE | START DATE |
| Narendra Hirwani | 33.5 | 136 | 16 | 4.01 | West Indies | Chennai | January 11, 1988 |
| Mohammed Shami | 30.1 | 118 | 9 | 3.91 | West Indies | Eden Gardens | November 6, 2013 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 48.3 | 128 | 9 | 2.63 | West Indies | Delhi | November 6, 2011 |
| Dilip Doshi | 85 | 167 | 8 | 1.96 | Australia | Chennai | September 11, 1979 |
| Manav Suthar | 32 | 62 | 7 | 1.93 | Afghanistan | New Chandigarh | June 6, 2026 |
Mohammed Shami has a magical seam position which helps move the ball even when conditions are not suitable for pacers. He has taken a total of 77 wickets in India, often a graveyard for fast bowlers. His average of 22.1 is the best among pacers who have taken at least 70 wickets in India. Among pacers with 50+ wickets in India, he is only behind Jasprit Bumrah (62 wickets at an average of 17.7 average).
Shami has played 21 home Tests, and India have never lost a match when he has been part of the playing XI. He has also played 41 away Tests, claiming 145 wickets, alongside eight wickets in neutral-venue Tests.
| Venue | Time Span | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Best Figures (Innings) | Best Figures (Match) | 5W | 10W |
| Home | 2013-2023 | 21 | 42 | 76 | 5/35 | 9/118 | 2 | 0 |
| Away | 2013-2022 | 41 | 76 | 145 | 6/56 | 8/107 | 4 | 0 |
| Neutral | 2021-2023 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4/76 | 4/107 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2013-2023 | 64 | 122 | 229 | 6/56 | 9/118 | 6 | 0 |
Shami was part of a golden generation of fast bowlers that helped India dominate in overseas conditions and win numerous memorable matches. His retirement comes at a time when selectors had moved toward younger options in the longest format.
Despite various challenges, Shami remained determined to make a Test comeback before ultimately deciding to redirect his energies toward a white-ball return.
