'Delight to watch' - WV Raman congratulates Mohammed Shami on stellar Test career
A 13-year chapter in Indian Test cricket closed on Friday, November 6, when Mohammed Shami formally announced his retirement from the longest format. His debut had come against West Indies on November 06, 2013, and his final Test appearance was the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia, a stage that few fast bowlers reach even once. Between those two bookends, Shami had not featured in any international cricket since the Champions Trophy final in March 2025 before confirming his decision.
Among the prominent voices to acknowledge Shami's contribution was WV Raman, whose connection with the fast bowler dates to the 2010 Ranji Trophy season when Raman served as his Bengal coach. That shared history lends a personal dimension to the tribute that goes beyond the routine acknowledgements that typically follow a retirement announcement.
"Mohammed Shami has been a delight to watch all these years during which time he made an indelible impact in the toughest format of the game arguably- test cricket! Well done Shami.. Have fun till you have had enough of this game," Raman wrote, posting via his official X account on Sunday.
The tribute captures the regard in which Shami is held by those who watched his development from domestic cricket through to the highest level of the international game.
Mohd Shami has been a delight to watch all these years during which time he made an indelible impact in the toughest format of the game arguably- test cricket!
— WV Raman (@wvraman) November 8, 2026
Well done Shami.. Have fun till you have had enough of this game..#cricket
How does Shami's Test record compare historically?
Across 64 Tests, Shami finished with 229 wickets at an average of 27.71 and a strike rate of 50.2, placing him sixth among India's most successful fast bowlers in the format. Six five-wicket hauls punctuated that tally, reflecting his capacity to dismantle batting line-ups on his best days rather than merely accumulate wickets in favourable conditions.
Of those 64 matches, 31 ended in victory for India and 13 were drawn, a record that meant Shami never found himself on the losing side of a home series across his entire Test career.
A strike rate of 50.2 across 64 Tests means Shami delivered a wicket roughly every 50 balls throughout his career, a figure that speaks to sustained penetration rather than the kind of economy-first approach that can inflate averages. His 27.71 average sits comfortably among the better marks recorded by Indian pace bowlers in Test history.
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