Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin said he was sad Mohammed Shami had retired from Test cricket, believed Shami could have continued in Tests for a few more years, and hoped the BCCI would use Shami's experience in a coaching role for young fast bowlers.
Shami announced his retirement on Friday, 6 November, 13 years after his Test debut on 6 November 2013. He took 229 wickets in 64 Tests, a record that places him among India's finest fast bowlers.
Azharuddin said: "It is sad that he has retired, but since he has taken the decision, we have to respect it." The former captain's reaction captured the feeling of many who watched Shami's career.
A career of 229 Test wickets
Shami's Test figures tell the story of a bowler who delivered in all conditions. He took 229 wickets in 64 Tests across 122 innings, at an average of 27.71, with a best of six for 56 and six five-wicket hauls.
His last Test was the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia. He will continue to play white-ball cricket in the IPL and domestic cricket, so his retirement applies to Tests only.
Thirteen years to the day
Shami announced his retirement exactly 13 years after his Test debut, on 6 November 2013. He wore Test cap number 279 for India, and his debut began a career that spanned more than a decade at the top.
The timing of the announcement, on the anniversary of his debut, gave the decision a neat symmetry. It was a career that began with promise and ended with a record most fast bowlers would be proud of.
A coaching role ahead
Azharuddin hopes the BCCI will find a way to use Shami's experience. Young fast bowlers coming through the Indian system could learn a great deal from a bowler who mastered reverse swing and seam movement.
Whether the BCCI takes up the suggestion remains to be seen, but the idea of Shami passing on his craft has obvious appeal for Indian cricket.
