Representative image. Aidan Sammons, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
Shami was one of the bowlers behind India's best overseas Test results of the last decade, including the first series win in Australia in 2018-19. His decision closes the door on a Test recall that had been talked about while he took wickets for Bengal, and leaves India's Test attack to the bowlers the new selectors have picked for New Zealand.
Mohammed Shami retires from Test cricket after announcing on Friday, 6 November 2026, that he was ending a red-ball career of 64 matches and 229 wickets for India. The 36-year-old fast bowler made the announcement in an Instagram post with a video, on the 13th anniversary of his Test debut, according to reports in the Indian Express, India Today and the Times of India.
The Shami Test retirement covers Tests only. He plans to keep playing white-ball cricket and has been named in Bengal’s squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 competition that starts on 14 November, the Indian Express reported.
What Shami said about his Test retirement
Shami wrote his message mostly in Hindi. In the Indian Express translation, he said he was saying goodbye to the white jersey but never to the memories tied to it. He wrote that Test cricket had not been just a format for him but a very special part of his life, and that he was taking the decision with a heavy heart.
He looked back on his first Test cap as a simple wish to do something for his country, and said every wicket, struggle, injury and comeback since then had taught him something, India Today reported. He thanked his teammates, coaches, family and supporters, and named the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), his home association, for backing him. He signed off with “Shukriya, Test Cricket”, which means “Thank you, Test cricket”.
Mohammed Shami Test career in numbers
All three reports carry the same headline figures. Shami’s 229 wickets came in 64 Tests at an average of 27.71, with six five-wicket hauls. His best innings figures were 6/56 against England.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Test matches | 64 |
| Wickets | 229 |
| Bowling average | 27.71 |
| Five-wicket hauls | 6 |
| Best innings figures | 6/56 v England |
| Wickets per Test (NewsPlainly’s calculation, 229 divided by 64) | 3.58 |
A bowling average is the number of runs a bowler gives away for each wicket, so a lower figure is better. At 27.71, Shami conceded a little under 28 runs for every batter he dismissed in Tests.
From Eden Gardens in 2013 to The Oval in 2023
Shami’s Test career began and, in his own choice of date, ended on 6 November. He made his debut against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on that day in 2013. The Indian Express reported that he took 9/118 in that match, which India won by an innings and 51 runs.
His last Test was the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in London in June 2023. He did not play another Test in the three years and five months that followed, by NewsPlainly’s count from June 2023 to November 2026.
The key dates, as given in the reports:
- 6 November 2013: Test debut against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, 9 wickets in the match.
- 2018-19: part of the Indian side that won a Test series in Australia for the first time, the Indian Express noted.
- June 2023: last Test, the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval.
- 2023: leading wicket-taker at the ODI World Cup with 24 wickets in seven innings, the Times of India reported.
- Recent weeks: back in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, including five wickets against Delhi in Kalyani, India Today reported.
- 6 November 2026: retires from Tests, 13 years to the day after his debut.
Reports also point to the injuries that broke up his Test career. India Today wrote that fitness setbacks forced him to work his way back into the side more than once, which Shami himself touched on when he listed injuries and comebacks among the things the format taught him.
Why Mohammed Shami retires now
India Today linked the timing to selection. Shami was not picked in the India A squad for three four-day matches before the senior team’s Test series in New Zealand, and the new selection committee led by Pragyan Ojha, which took over after Ajit Agarkar’s exit, did not include him in its plans for that tour, the outlet reported.
He had been taking wickets in domestic cricket. India Today reported that he picked up five wickets for Bengal against Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match in Kalyani last week. About two weeks earlier, during Bengal’s match against Services, he had said he was still at his peak and that there was no point beating around the bush.
Shami’s post did not give a reason for the timing beyond his thanks and memories, and the reports read did not quote any comment from the selectors on his decision.
What is next for Shami
Retiring from Tests does not end his playing career. India Today reported that he intends to keep playing limited-overs cricket and is open to playing first-class games if he needs them to stay match-fit. His next scheduled competition is the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with Bengal from 14 November.
India’s men are currently in New Zealand for a one-day series. Readers following that tour can see our report on the first ODI in Auckland, and more cricket on the NewsPlainly sports page. Shami’s own message is on his Instagram account, and the fullest account of it is in the Indian Express report.
Frequently asked questions
Has Mohammed Shami retired from all cricket?
No. He has retired only from Test cricket. Reports say he will keep playing white-ball cricket, and he is in Bengal's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad.
How many Test wickets did Mohammed Shami take?
229 wickets in 64 Tests at an average of 27.71, including six five-wicket hauls. His best innings figures were 6/56 against England.
When was Shami's last Test match?
The World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023.
Why did Shami announce his retirement on 6 November?
It was the anniversary of his Test debut, against the West Indies at Eden Gardens on 6 November 2013. His post did not give any other reason for the timing.