Shami had more Test cricket in him: Ravi Shastri was disappointed to see the pacer retire

Ravi Shastri believes Mohammed Shami had a lot to offer in Test cricket and is disappointed the fast bowler didn’t get another chance before announcing his retirement. The former India head coach questioned the repeated focus on Shami’s fitness, pointing to his workload and performances for Bengal as evidence that he could still contribute at the highest level.

Shami announced his retirement from Tests on 6 exactly 13 years after his debut. He leaves the format with 229 wickets from 64 matches, but his last appearance for India came more than three years ago, in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia.

Speaking about Extra Innings ahead of India’s second ODI against New Zealand, Shastri said he expected Shami to add another 30-40 wickets to his Test run.

“It’s sad when someone who played so well for the country has to go. I definitely thought he had another 30 or 40 wickets in him. He should have played in the last 12 months and maybe he should be in the side as a Test-match bowler,” Shastri said.

SHOULD FITNESS BE A SHAMI?

Shami’s career in India was interrupted by a series of injuries after the 2023 ODI World Cup. He underwent ankle surgery in February 2024 and subsequently dealt with knee problems and missed India’s five-Test tour of Australia. He returned to international cricket in January 2025, featuring in the T20I and ODI series against England before playing all five Champions Trophy matches.

However, failure ahead of the 2025 England Test put him out of contention. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Shami’s workload was not where it needed to be and that the medical staff did not recommend picking him for the tough five-Test series.

Shastri, meanwhile, questioned the emphasis on gym-based fitness as the fast bowler demonstrated his ability to handle the match load.

“What’s the point of being fit in the gym if you can’t bowl 10 or 12 overs in a match? Here you have a hard worker bowling for you. So I’m a bit disappointed he didn’t get another one,” he said.

The questions continued when Shami was left out of the West Indies Test squad later that year. Agarkar said he did not have clear information about the pacer’s fitness and felt he had not played competitive enough cricket. Shami responded by insisting that if he was fit enough to play four-day cricket for Bengal, he could also play over-50 cricket.

SHAMI’S HOME NUMBERS ARE A CASE STUDY

Shami continued to go to Bengal despite being out of the national team. He took seven wickets in three matches for East Zone in the 2026 Duleep Trophy and helped the side win the title. He then started the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season strongly, taking 14 wickets at an average of 14.00 in his first three matches. His returns included a haul of 5/59 against Delhi and 4/37 against Maharashtra.

Shastri pointed to these performances while defending the pacer’s fitness.

“I heard all these press reports about his fitness not being good, but he played every match for Bengal. He played 15-20 overs. What more do you want from a player to prove his fitness?” he said.

The former coach also argued that bowlers need to maintain rhythm through regular match overs, citing Richard Hadlee and Wasim Akram as examples of fast bowlers who value bowling and regular play.

CAN SHAMI YET MAKE A BACK IN WHITE-BALL CRICKET?

Shami’s Test retirement does not end his international career. He has made it clear that he intends to continue playing white-ball cricket and is keeping the door open for a possible return ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

His last appearance for India in any format came in the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand. Along with Varun Chakravarthy, he was India’s highest wicket-taker in the tournament with nine wickets in five matches.

Shastri believes that Shami should prepare rather than consider ending his career in India. He pointed out that injuries are inevitable in a busy international calendar and an experienced bowler could become important if one of India’s first-choice pacers is unavailable.

“If he is in good form and having a good IPL and one of your senior bowlers suddenly breaks down, you will look for experience. But you have a player like him there,” Shastri said.

For now, Shami’s focus is on Bengal and franchise cricket. Shastri feels there is still enough left in the fast bowler to make an impact and believes he deserves another opportunity in the longest format before closing this chapter.

– The end