"He helped me quite a lot": Morkel recalls Shami's dressing-room influence

Former South Africa pacer and India bowling coach Morne Morkel has paid tribute to Mohammed Shami following the latter's decision to retire from Test cricket, recalling how the Indian speedster helped him adapt to the dressing-room environment when he joined the team.

Former South Africa pacer and India bowling coach Morne Morkel has paid tribute to Mohammed Shami following the latter's decision to retire from Test cricket, recalling how the Indian speedster helped him adapt to the dressing-room environment when he joined the team. Morkel, who joined head coach Gautam Gambhir's coaching staff in 2024, credited Shami with helping him understand the team's culture and overcome the language barrier.

While the two never had the opportunity to work together in the Test setup, they shared a brief stint during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which marked Shami's final appearance for India. "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," Morkel said.

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. The 36-year-old announced his retirement through an Instagram post, bringing an end to his illustrious Test career. Renowned for his ability to generate seam movement and extract swing with both the new and old balls, Shami finishes with 229 wickets from 64 Tests, including six five-wicket hauls.

Since making his Test debut against the West Indies in 2013, Shami has quickly established himself as a mainstay of India's pace attack. His effectiveness in challenging overseas conditions was particularly noteworthy, with 145 wickets coming in 41 away Tests at an average of 30.33. His final Test appearance came in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia. Although injuries disrupted various phases of his career, Shami remained a key contributor to India's success with the ball across formats. (ANI)