'He helped me quite a lot…': Morne Morkel on Mohammed Shami

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Team India’s pace veteran Mohammed Shami announced his retirement from Test cricket. Following his retirement announcement, Team India’s incumbent bowling coach Morne Morkel spoke about him.

The former South African cricketer recalled the time when he joined the Indian coaching set-up and how Shami helped him understand team’s culture and overcome the language barrier.

“I was quite fortunate when I first started with the group for Shami to be a part of the team. 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 sad a day to see him go,” he said.

Shami made the announcement by sharing a video on his official social media handle.

“Safed jersey se vida le raha hoon, lekin usse judi yaadon se kabhi nahi… Jab pehli baar Bharat ki Test jersey pehni thi, tab sirf ek sapna tha — apne desh ke liye kuch kar dikhane ka.. Uske baad har wicket, har sangharsh, har chot aur har comeback ne mujhe kuch na kuch sikhaya. Test cricket mere liye sirf ek format nahi, meri zindagi ka ek behad khaas hissa raha hai. Aaj bhaari dil aur anginat khoobsurat yaadon ke saath main Test cricket se retirement lene ka faisla kar raha hoon. Is safar mein mera saath dene wale har teammate, coach, family aur un karodon Bharatiyon ka dil se shukriya, jinhone achhe aur mushkil dono waqt mein mujh par bharosa banaye rakha..,” read his post’s caption.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) for placing trust in him.

“BCCI aur Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) ka bhi dil se shukriya, jinhone mere talent par bharosa kiya, mujhe aage badhne ke mauke diye aur mere cricket ke safar mein ek aham bhoomika nibhayi. Aapka saath aur vishwas mere liye hamesha khaas rahega. Maidan par meri aakhri Test ball bhale hi fenki ja chuki ho, lekin Bharat ke liye khelne ka garv hamesha mere dil mein zinda rahega. Shukriya, Test Cricket. Aapka Shami #Mdshami11 #Mdshami #TestCricket #Retirement,” it added.

Mohammed Shami’s statistics in Test cricket

Having played 64 Test matches for Team India, the 36-year-old pacer claimed 229 wickets. His best bowling figures in the traditional format of the game are nine wickets for 118 runs.

Shami was also handy with the bat. In 64 Tests, he garnered 750 runs with a top score of an unbeaten 56 runs. He also has two half-centuries to his name.

(With ANI Inputs)

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