Kolkata: It’s been almost a year and a half that Mohammad Amir has made a comeback to international cricket and he has had an immense impact on world cricket already. He’s become a batsman’s nightmare already with his deadly swinging deliveries but for a certain Rohit Sharma, Amir has become a nemesis. In all the matches against India that he has played since his return, the Indian opener did not seem to have an answer to the left-arm paceman’s swing and pace.
After he looked absolutely clueless against Amir in the Asia Cup last year and eventually dismissed by him, Rohit went on to call him an, “ordinary bowler” and dismissed the hype that was building around the left-arm bowler. He had said, “Stop talking about him already..He isn’t the only bowler, Pakistan have five other bowlers who are doing well for them.”
As a matter of fact, the right-hander had gone on to say that the focus should have been on Jasprit Bumrah, who was then beginning to be known for his toe-crushing yorkers. He said, “Bumrah is already starting to make a mark. I would tell you that instead of talking about Amir you should talk about Bumrah.”
Few days back, Mohammad Amir finally answered back to the criticism saying, “That was his opinion about me and he is entitled to that opinion. Maybe his opinion about me has now changed. But let’s get one thing clear, I would never call him an ordinary batsman..In fact, I would call him an extraordinary batsman. His record for India is superb and I respect him. His opinions about other cricketers are up to him, but with all due respect I never worry about what other cricketers have to say about me.”
Amir has time and again proven it that he is not just any other bowler. Especially, against India, the left-arm pacer has done exceptionally well and Rohit Sharma has found it really tough to play his natural game against him. The first over of India’s first match against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy stands as a testament to that fact.
Rohit Sharma was left absolutely clueless about the deliveries bowled by Amir and couldn’t handle the swing of the left-armer. Even in the final of the recently concluded Champions Trophy contested between India and Pakistan, it was Amir who got rid of the in-form Mumbai batsman that triggered off one of the worst batting collapses in cricket history.
Not many would forget the day. While Bumrah was all over the park and was wayward with the ball, Amir’s bowling was much more controlled and effective as he went to claim the crucial wickets of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Sharma.
Mr Sharma, Amir is an extraordinary bowler as you are as a batsman. Accept it.