Mohammad Amir to Rohit Sharma. The left-arm fast bowler runs in from over the wicket, jumps on the crease, pitches one that swings back in sharply and leaves the batsman befuddled.
The brief encounter between Rohit and Amir during the India-Pakistan Asia Cup T20 match in Dhaka on February 27, left many in awe.
It also enhanced Amir’s reputation as the ‘special talent’ who was back doing what he did best.
According to Rohit though, Amir is just a ‘normal’ bowler who was unjustifiably hyped.
“Stop talking about him already,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Rohit as saying of Amir in Kolkata.
“He isn’t the only bowler, Pakistan have five other bowlers who are doing well for them,” added the right -handed batsman.
Sharma believed that Amir needed to be more consistent to be considered an ‘extraordinary’ paceman but for now he was good in patches.
“He is good but he needs to prove it over and over again,” said Sharma.
“Now people are comparing him to Wasim Akram and all that.
“He is just a normal bowler, on that given day if he is good, he is good. It is not as if he turns up and blows everyone away,” added the opener.
However, after the India-Pakistan Asia Cup fixture, Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper, had contrasting views about the left-arm pacer.
“I would like to compliment Mohammad Amir for the way he bowled. I actually congratulated him while he was bowling,” he said.
“It was so happy to play such an amazing spell. He is a world-class bowler.”
During that spell, Amir sent Rohit, Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina back to the pavilion cheaply, to finish with figures of 3 for 18 in four overs.
In Pakistan’s Asia cup failure, Amir was one of the rare positives, taking seven wickets in four matches in the tournament at an economy rate of 5.06 an over.