Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has said that he found it easier to bowl to Rohit Sharma than to Virat Kohli as he felt that the former struggles against both incoming and away-going deliveries from a left-armer.
“I haven't found it tough bowling to either. In fact, I find it easy to bowl to him (Rohit). I feel that I can get him out both ways. He struggles against the inswinger from a left-armer as well as against the ball that goes away early on,” Amir told Cricwick.
“I may say that I find bowling to Virat slightly tougher because he revels in pressure situations, but otherwise, I've never found it difficult bowling to either of the two.”
Mohammad Amir had famously dismissed both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the space of his first 10 deliveries in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval in London.
Rohit went leg-before third ball as he missed an incoming delivery. Kohli edged one going across him but was dropped at first slip by Azhar Ali. The very next ball, his ninth, Kohli tried to push a similarly angled, and fuller, delivery to the leg side but was caught by Shadab Khan at backward point off the leading edge.
Amir said that it was Australian Steve Smith who he found the toughest to bowl to. “I find it most difficult to bowl to Steve Smith. Because his technique is very difficult,” Amir said. “He stands in such an angle that you don’t understand where to bowl to him.”
The 29-year old pacer -- who had been banned for five years for spot-fixing against England at Lord’s in 2010 -- had shocked fans with his retirement last year. He lamented the lack of support from the Pakistan team management, saying that when a player does not do well, it is said that he is finished.
“When a player doesn't perform even after getting ample chances, the management must tell the player to go back to domestic cricket and perform so that he could make a comeback into the national team. But here they say his career is over, he is not good enough anymore,” he added.
Featured photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis
