Shami retired from Test cricket with 229 wickets from 64 matches.
Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane paid a heartfelt tribute to Mohammad Shami following the veteran pacer’s retirement from Test cricket.
Shami called time on his Test career on Friday (November 6), exactly 13 years after making his debut. He left the format with 229 wickets from 64 matches, but his final red-ball appearance for India came in the June 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.
Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Rahane highly praised Shami's "amazing seam position", emphasizing that latter’s relentless, attacking mindset made him a nightmare for India’s own batters during practice sessions.
"Whether it's Tests or ODIs, he has bowled and won matches. He has gone through challenging times, but he has shown commitment and intent by coming to the ground. I would want to say that we were lucky that he was in our team," Rahane said.
"He was the most dangerous bowler to face in the nets, the way he used to bowl. Amazing seam position. Whenever there was a situation, he used to say he would win the match. This was his attitude always," he added.
Following his heroics as the leading wicket-taker (24 scalps) at the 2023 ODI World Cup, Shami underwent ankle surgery in early 2024 and faced subsequent knee setbacks, which ruled him out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
The right-arm quick returned to white-ball international cricket in January 2025 for series against England and featured in the Champions Trophy. However, he missed out on Test selection for the England tour in 2025, with then chief selector Ajit Agarkar citing in the media that Shami's workload was not where it needed to be and that medical staff had advised against picking him for a grueling red-ball series.
According to Rahane, Shami had done enough to merit a return to Test cricket. "I definitely feel so. He tried as well, especially in Test cricket, considering the way he was playing and bowling. An experienced player who has played so much went back to domestic cricket, gave his all, and did well," he stated.
"You cannot expect an experienced player to perform all the time. That's where experience comes in handy. I was hoping for him to get a chance, just like Bhuvi made a comeback. He has skill and magic in his hands. He was picking up wickets in the Ranji Trophy as well. I wanted to see him play Test cricket one more time because of the kind of effort he put in," Rahane remarked.