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Cricket Players'Find it easy to bowl to him, can get him out both ways': Mohammad Amir relives rivalry with star India batsman
Mohammad Amir has bowled several memorable spells during his career, but none comes close to the wreckage he caused in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Mohammad Amir may have retired from international cricket, but he was so good that many have questioned the Pakistan left-arm pacer's decision to retire early from international cricket. Amir was only 28 when he decided to retired from international cricket, finishing with 119 wickets from 36 Tests, 81 wickets from 61 ODIs and 59 more from 50 T20Is for Pakistan.
Amir has bowled several memorable spells during his career, but no mention of it is incomplete without the wreckage he caused in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy. With India facing Pakistan in the summit clash, Amir shredded India's top order restricting them to 33/3 in a daunting chase of 339. Amir dismissed India's top tree – Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli – to finish with 3/16 is a spell for the ages.
Looking back at his rivalry with India captain Kohli, Amir explained how he loves competition and relishes being up against a batsman of Kohli's calibre. The battles between Kohli and Amir have been riveting. Especially the spells bowled during the 2016 Asia Cup, the 2016 World T20, Ct 2017 and the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
"I enjoy bowling in pressure situations. Similarly, I live matching up to the best batsmen in the world. Kohli’s performances speak for themselves, we don’t need to say anything. He’s proven himself in every format. He’s shown why he’s called King Kohli. He too wins pressure situations. I like bowling to him. Bowlers will keep getting batsmen out and it gives me immense satisfaction knowing that people like the idea of Kohli and I squaring off," Amir said in an interview with Cricwick.
While the Kohli-Amir rivalry is talked about, the left-arm seamer has also tasted success against Rohit. Amir reveals that although he doesn't find bowling to either Rohit or Kohli or tough, in fact, he feels Rohit is the easier to of the two to bowl to given his 'struggles' against the moving ball.
"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 in-swinger from a left-armer and as well as against the ball that goes away early on. 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," Amir explained.
