India bowling coach Morne Morkel remembered Mohammed Shami’s support in the dressing room after the pacer announced his retirement from Test cricketRavi Shastri also reacted to the decision.
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India coach Morne Morkel pays emotional tribute to Mohammed Shami after Test retirement (Photo: X)
Mohammed Shami’s decision to retire from Test cricket has been met with reactions from many former India cricketers and members of the cricket fraternityIndia bowling coach Morne Morkel also paid tribute to the experienced pacer, recalling how Shami helped him settle into the Indian dressing room when he joined the team in 2024.
Shami announced his retirement from the longest format on Friday night, bringing an end to a Test career that lasted more than a decadeThe 35-year-old finished with 229 wickets in 64 matches, becoming one of India’s most successful fast bowlers in the format.
Morkel, who became India’s bowling coach as part of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support staff in 2024, said Shami’s presence made his early days with the team easierAlthough he did not get an opportunity to work with the Bengal pacer in Test cricket, the two shared some time during the ICC Champions Trophy in early 2025It was Shami’s last appearance for India.
Morne Morkel Remembers Shami’s Support In Indian Dressing Room
Speaking to Sony Sports during a pre-match interview ahead of the second ODI against New Zealand, Morkel spoke about Shami’s contribution to the team and his help in understanding the Indian dressing room environment.
“Yeah, I was quite fortunate when I first started with the group for Shami to be a part of the teamYou know, highly skillful player, a quality guy to have around in the groupAnd I was quite lucky when I joined for him to bring sort of the Indian language into the dressing roomHe helped me quite a lotSo a sad day to see him go.,” Morkel said.
The former South Africa fast bowler also expressed happiness that Shami has continued to bowl regularly in domestic cricketThe pacer is expected to remain available for white-ball cricket for Bengal and in the Indian Premier League.
“I mean, he’s still bowling a lot of overs back home and it’s still great to see,” Morkel added.
Mohammed Shami Ends Test Career With 229 Wickets
Shami finished his Test career with 229 wickets from 64 matchesHe is India’s sixth-highest wicket-taking fast bowler in the formatKapil Dev leads the list with 434 wickets, followed by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma with 311 eachJavagal Srinath has 236 wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah is ahead of Shami with 234.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also acknowledged his contribution to Indian cricket through a social media post.
“Thank you for defining an era of Indian pace bowling, Test Cap #279,” the BCCI wrote.
Thank you for defining an era of Indian pace bowling, Test Cap #279
Drop in your favourite @MdShami11 memory in whites
#TeamIndia https://t.co/0qHC15vwci
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 7, 2026
Ravi Shastri Feels Shami Had More Test Cricket Left
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also praised Shami’s contribution and said he believed the fast bowler could have continued playing Test cricketShastri highlighted his ability to generate seam movement and keep pressure on opposition batters even when he was not taking wickets.
“Incredible careerI was lucky that I was the coach at that timeHe was instrumental in India doing wellWithout him the fast bowling unit would not have functionedNo one presented the seam better than him in world cricketYou could say James Anderson as wellIf Shami did not get the wickets, he would still keep the pressure on the opposition.
“Sad to see him goI definitely though he had another 30-40 wickets left in himHe should have played in the last 12 monthsMay be should have been on this New Zealand tour as a Test match bowler,” Shastri told the host broadcaster.
Shami’s Bengal teammate Manoj Tiwary also shared an emotional message, remembering their time together in the state teamHe described Shami as a warrior and said his bowling performances would remain in the memories of cricket fans.
Although Shami will no longer represent India in Tests, he could still be seen in white-ball cricket, giving fans an opportunity to watch him continue his career in the shorter formats.
