Indian fast bowling stalwart Mohammed Shami has retired from Test cricket after 13 years. He finished with 229 wickets in 64 matches, cementing his status as one of the country’s finest bowlers in the format’s modern history.
Mohammed Shami Retires from Test Cricket
One of the India’s modern-day masters of swing and seam, Mohammed Shami called time on his 13 year Test career on Friday. In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Shami, with his Test cap number 279 and a red-cherry in hand, announced that he was ending his Test career exactly 13 years after his debut against West Indies on November 6 back in 2013.
The veteran represented India in 64 Test matches, claiming 229 wickets in 122 innings at an average of 27.71 and an economy rate of 3.30. His best bowling figures were 6/56, while he registered 12 four-wicket hauls and six five-wicket hauls. He ended as India’s 12th-highest wicket-taker in the format and the bowler with fourth-best bowling average amongst the Indians with 200-plus Test scalps.
Top Bowling Performances
Here are the top five bowling performances by Shami throughout his illustrious Test career, in no order:
6/56 against Australia, 2018
On a fast, bouncy Optus Stadium track at Perth, Shami delivered a spell that would go on to become one of his career highlights. After going wicketless for 80 runs in the first innings in which Aussies scored 326 runs, Shami’s 6/56 in 24 overs wiped out the Aussies top and middle-order and skittled out Aussies for 243 runs in reply to India’s first innings total of 283 runs. India was bundled out for just 140 runs in reply, but that spell was one of the standout spells from the tour, which saw India win a Test series in Australia for the first time.
9/118 against West Indies, 2013
During his Test debut at Eden Gardens, Shami delivered the best figures by an Indian pacer on Test debut. In the first innings, he took 4/71, including wickets of Marlon Samuels, Kieran Powell and Denesh Ramdin to skittle them out for 234. Following centuries from Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin which helped India reach 453 runs, WI was skittled out for 168 runs, with a five-wicket haul from Shami (5/47). However, Rohit won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his 177 on debut.
5/28 against South Africa, 2018
After India managed just 187 runs in the first innings at Johannesburg, Shami took a wicket in the first innings as Proteas were skittled out for 194 runs. India took a 240-run lead courtesy of fighting knocks from Ajinkya Rahane and Virat, setting Proteas 240 to win. Shami (5/28) started with the wicket of opener Aiden Markram, then wiped their tail to skittle them out for 177 runs, securing a memorable win.
5/44 against South Africa, 2021
At Centurion during the first Test, in reply to India’s 327 runs in the first innings, Proteas were skittled out for just 197 runs courtesy a 5/44 from Shami, setting up the tone for India’s win by 113 runs as they defended a total of 305 runs. In the second innings, as Proteas was skittled out for 191 runs, Shami took three more wickets.
5/35 against South Africa, 2019
At Visakhapatnam during the first Test of the series, Shami went wicketless in the first innings as Proteas put 431 runs in reply to India’s 502/7 declared. Proteas were later given 395 runs to chase, with Shami taking 5/35 to skittle out Proteas for just 191 runs. Rohit Sharma won the POTM for knocks of 176 and 127.
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