'Sad Day To See Him Go': India Coach Pays Tribute To Mohammed Shami After Test Retirement

Shami Retirement: Mohammed Shami's decision to walk away from Test cricket has drawn an emotional response from India's bowling coach Morne Morkel. The former South African pacer, who joined Gautam Gambhir's support staff in 2024, reflected on the significant influence Shami had on him during his early days with the Indian team. The two worked together during the ICC Champions Trophy in early 2025, which the Men in Blue would go on to win.

Morkel Recalls His Time With Shami

Speaking on Sony Sports ahead of the second ODI between India and New Zealand, Morkel recalled how the experienced fast bowler helped him adjust to the team's environment and understand the communication within the dressing room.

"Yeah, I was quite fortunate when I first started with the group for Shami to be a part of the team. You know, highly skillful player, a quality guy to have around in the group."

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Morkel also spoke about the role Shami played in bridging the language gap when he joined the Indian setup.

"I was quite lucky when I joined for him to bring sort of the Indian language into the dressing room. He helped me quite a lot. So a sad day to see him go,"

Mohammed Shami's Remarkable Test Career Comes To An End

Shami announced his retirement from the longest format on Friday, bringing the curtain down on a 12-year Test career.

He represented India in 64 matches and claimed 229 wickets, establishing himself as one of the country's most accomplished fast bowlers.

His contribution across international cricket was equally significant, finishing with 462 wickets across formats, including 206 in ODIs.

Is Shami's India Career Over Across All Formats?

Although Shami has stepped away from Test cricket, his retirement announcement does not necessarily mean the end of his international career.

He remains available for India's white-ball formats, although his last appearance for the national team came in the 2025 Champions Trophy final.

The 35-year-old's future in India's limited-overs plans remains to be seen.

For now, Morkel's words underline the respect Shami earned not only through his performances but also through the support he offered teammates and members of the coaching staff.