Laxmi Ratan Shukla rues Mohammed Shami’s missed India Test comeback before retirement

New Delhi: Bengal senior men’s head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla on Saturday said he and many others had hoped senior pacer Mohammed Shami would make a comeback to the Indian Test side and sign off from the red-ball format in national colours but lamented that it didn’t happen as fate had other plans.

Known for generating seam movement and swing with both the new and the old ball, Shami announced on Friday night that he was retiring from Tests. He signs off with 229 wickets from 64 Tests, including six five-wicket hauls, making him India’s sixth-highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in Tests.

Shami last played a Test match for India in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final against Australia and never returned to play the longest format for India thereafter. “Despite all of that, playing and practising for Bengal for the last two years in Ranji Trophy, Mushtaq Ali, and Vijay Hazare – I mean, you are the best, Shami.

“You are outstanding. We all wanted you to have a comeback in the Test team and retire from there. But God did not accept it. Despite that, you are the best,” Shukla said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

The former India all-rounder also said Shami’s hunger for domestic cricket after a decorated international career had left a deep impression on him. “Outstanding Mohammed Shami. A wonderful record in Test cricket for a wonderful player and human being.

“I would like to share one more thing with all of you that Mohammed Shami has put so much effort. I have not seen a fast bowler working so hard for domestic cricket games after playing so many international matches and taking many wickets in Tests, One-days and T20s,” he said.

Shami proved very valuable on overseas tours, where he picked up 145 wickets in 41 away Tests at an average of 30.33. At home, he was even more lethal, claiming 76 wickets at an average of 22.1. Shukla also took a trip down memory lane, recalling how Shami made a direct leap from the state’s U-23 setup to the Ranji Trophy.

“I remember the day when you came to our Bengal nets for U23 games. You played Ranji Trophy directly from there. Our selectors were there and I was the captain at that time. You played from there and I was the captain that time and now the coach here,” he said.

Noting that Shami’s red-ball journey had come full circle with Bengal, Shukla added, “You started with us in the red ball and now your Test match career ended with us. Our association is also very good. They have always supported you a lot. What you have done for Bengal is amazing. Mohammed Shami is and will always be a great inspiration. Love you, my brother. See you soon.”

Shami, though, will continue to feature in white-ball cricket. He has been included in Bengal’s 19-member squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which begins on November 14. Bengal will open its campaign against Karnataka in an Elite Group A fixture at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 14.

Bengal are placed in Elite Group A along with Karnataka, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Baroda, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, with all league matches of the group to be played in Mumbai.