"Sad day to see him go": Morkel pays heartfelt tribute to Shami after Test retirement
Wellington, November 7
India bowling coach Morne Morkel paid tribute to Mohammed Shami following his Test retirement, praising his skill, character and contribution to the dressing room.
Morkel recalled how Shami helped him settle into the Indian setup and bridge the language gap, adding that it was sad to see him leave the longest format. He also noted that Shami continues to bowl plenty of overs back home.
Shami announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to a career that saw him become one of India's most dependable fast bowlers across conditions and on the biggest stages.
"I was quite fortunate when I first started with the group for Shami to be a part of the team. You know, a highly skilful player, a quality guy to have around in the group. And 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. But yeah, I mean, he's still bowling a lot of overs back home, and it's still great to see," Morkel said ahead of India's 2nd ODI against New Zealand on Saturday.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement through an Instagram post, bringing the curtain down on his Test career. Renowned for his ability to generate seam movement and swing with both the new and old ball, Shami bows out with 229 wickets from 64 Tests, including six five-wicket hauls.
Shami made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2013 and soon established himself as a vital member of India's pace attack. Particularly effective in challenging overseas conditions, he claimed 145 wickets in 41 Tests away from home at an average of 30.33.
His final Test appearance came in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia. While injuries interrupted different phases of his career, his contributions with the ball remained an important part of India's success.
— ANI
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