Veteran Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami announced his retirement from international Test cricket on Friday, November 6, 2026, ending a 13-year career in the longest format with 229 wickets across 64 matches. The 36-year-old Bengal right-arm pacer shared the decision on Instagram and X on the exact 13th anniversary of his Test debut, while confirming he will continue playing white-ball cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“Today, with a heavy heart and countless beautiful memories, I am taking the decision to retire from Test cricket,” Shami wrote in his social media post (translated from Hindi), as reported by Cricbuzz. “A thank you to every teammate, coach, family member, and crores of Indians who supported me throughout this journey and kept their faith in me during the good and tough times.”
In a video message accompanying his announcement, Shami noted that he had received his India Test cap on November 6 and wanted to close his international red-ball journey on the same date. He added that he could still appear in domestic four-day matches if fit and thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
“I am bidding farewell to the white kit, but never to the memories associated with it,” Shami wrote in his farewell note. He also reflected on wearing the national whites for the first time, writing that every wicket, struggle, injury, and comeback had taught him a lesson, and that he would carry the pride of representing India in his heart after bowling his final ball in Test cricket.
Mohammed Shami’s Test numbers and overseas record
Shami finishes his red-ball international career with 229 wickets at an average of 27.71, an economy rate of 3.30, and a strike rate of 50.2, including six five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul. According to SportsTak, his tally “ranks fifth on India’s all-time list for seamers, trailing only Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, and Javagal Srinath”, while Cricbuzz lists him 12th overall among Indian Test bowlers and sixth among pacers.
Known for generating sharp reverse swing on subcontinent pitches, Shami also built a strong record outside Asia, taking 131 wickets across 35 away Tests. Four of his six career five-wicket hauls came in Australia and South Africa, highlighted by career-best innings figures of 6 for 56 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018.
His Test career began on November 6, 2013, against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where he claimed career-best match figures of 9 for 118. His 64th and final Test appearance came more than three years before his retirement announcement, when Australia defeated India in the June 2023 ICC World Test Championship final at The Oval in London.
Injury layoff and white-ball schedule
After a standout run in the 2023 home ODI World Cup, Shami underwent ankle surgery and dealt with knee trouble that kept him out of the Indian side for more than a year. He returned to international action in January 2025 in T20 internationals and helped India reach the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, which remains his most recent appearance for the national team in any format.
Despite not being recalled to the national Test setup, Shami stayed active in the IPL and domestic cricket for Bengal. Across the ongoing 2026–27 domestic campaign, he took seven wickets in three Duleep Trophy matches for East Zone and 14 wickets in three Ranji Trophy outings for Bengal.
Following Friday’s announcement, former India batter and ex-Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary praised Shami in a tribute reported by The Times of India, calling his longtime state teammate a warrior at heart whose fiery spells would stay with cricket fans. Next up, Shami is named in Bengal’s squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, which begins on November 14, 2026.