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

Mohammed Shami has retired from Test cricket. The India fast bowler announced the decision on Friday, November 6, through a video on his social media accounts. He is 36. He finishes with 229 wickets in 64 Tests at an average of 27.71. That makes him the sixth most successful fast bowler for India in the format.

The date was deliberate. Shami made his Test debut on November 6, 2013, against West Indies. He picked the same day, 13 years later, to say goodbye. That series also saw Sachin Tendulkar play his final Tests, and Rohit Sharma debuted in the same match as Shami. Shami took 4 for 71 in the first innings of that game.

In the video, Shami spoke about the falls, the injuries and the comebacks. He said he stood up every time for the India badge. "In this 13-year journey, this cap, this ball, made me Mohammed Shami," he said. He thanked his teammates, coaches, family, the BCCI, the Cricket Association of Bengal and the fans. He signed off his post with the words "Shukriya, Test Cricket".

Shami was among India's most reliable pace bowlers in all conditions. He also played in two World Test Championship finals. His last Test was the 2023 final against Australia at The Oval in London. That was more than three years ago. He has been out of the India team since the 2025 Champions Trophy, which India won. The retirement formally closes a long gap in the format.

This is not the end of his playing days. Shami said he will keep playing white-ball cricket. He may also turn out in four-day matches now and then.

India's next Test assignment is a two-Test series in New Zealand, which starts on November 19 in Wellington. Shami will not be part of it. His 229 Test wickets span a career that began at home against West Indies and ended in a final at The Oval.