SA vs IND: Mohammed Shami reaches 200 Test wickets
What's the story
Ace Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has reached the landmark of 200 wickets in Tests.
He achieved this feat during the third day of the opening Test match against South Africa in Centurion.
The right-arm pacer finished the day with the figures of 16-5-44-5.
Shami's five-wicket haul helped India bowl out South Africa for a paltry 197 runs in the first innings.
Context
Why does it matter?
It was Shami's sixth five-wicket haul in the red-ball format.
Shami's spirited bowling helped India in strengthening their position in the series opener.
He reached the milestone in the 55th Test match of his career.
With this, he has become the only fifth pacer (11th overall bowler) from India to take 200 wickets in the longest format of the game.
Reaction
Shami on reaching the milestone
Shami said understanding the conditions were crucial as he had to hit the right lengths.
The right-arm pacer also spoke regarding the 200-wicket milestone in Tests.
"While coming through the ranks, no bowler thinks about this (getting 200 wickets). They just dream of playing for India. It's all about hard work... when you put in the work, results follow," Shami said.
Stats
Fifth Indian pacer to pick 200 Test wickets
Shami is only the fifth Indian seamer to pick 200 wickets in the red-ball format.
Complete list:
Kapil Dev (1978-1994): 131 games, 434 wickets
I Sharma (2007-2021): 105 games, 311 wickets
Z Khan (2000-2014): 92 games, 311 wickets
J Srinath (1991-2002): 67 games, 236 wickets
Mohammed Shami (2013-2021): 55* games, 200 wickets
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11th Indian bowler to claim 200 wickets
Shami is overall the 11th Indian bowler to take 200 Test wickets after Anil Kumble (619), Kapil Dev (434), R Ashwin (427), Harbhajan Singh (417), I Sharma (311), Z Khan (311), BS Bedi (266), BS Chandrasekhar (242), J Srinath (236), Ravindra Jadeja (232).
Numbers
Third-fastest Indian pacer to 200 Test scalps
Shami is the third-fastest to 200 Test wickets for Team India among pacers (55 matches). Kapil Dev (50) and Javagal Srinath (54) are ahead of him. Meanwhile, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma took 63 matches to achieve the milestone.
Shami also claimed his second five-wicket haul in SA, joining S Sreesanth and Venkatesh Prasad.
Srinath has claimed three fifers on Proteas soil.
Journey
Shami's 1st, 50th, 100th, 150th, 200th Test scalps
West Indies' Kieran Powell was Shami's first Test wicket (2013, venue: Kolkata).
Shami reached his 50th Test wicket mark by dismissing West Indies' Marlon Samuel (2016, venue: Antigua).
South Africa's Keshav Maharaj was Shami's 100th victim (2018, venue: Centurion).
Rahkeem Cornwall was Shami's 150th scalp (2019, venue: Kingston).
Shami reached the figure of 200 Test wickets by dismissing SA's Kagiso Rabada (2021, venue: Centurion).
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Shami's performance in 2021
Shami has played five Test matches this year, bagging 20 wickets at an impressive average of 22.70. He has recorded his first five-wicket haul this year. Shami is the fourth Indian bowler to claim 20-plus wickets this year.
Stats
Decoding Shami's performance in Tests
Shami has played 16 Tests at home, picking 62 wickets at 21.08. He has two fifers under his belt on home soil.
He has donned the whites for India 38 times during away games, bagging 134 wickets with the help of four five-wicket hauls.
Shami averages 28.89 on foreign soil.
He has played one Test at a neutral venue, taking four wickets at 26.75.