Over-hyped: Amir doesn’t blow everyone away, says Rohit

Indian opener believes Pakistani left-arm pacer is only a ‘normal bowler’

Indian opener Rohit Sharma believes Pakistani left-arm pacer Muhammad Amir is being over-hyped and is only a ‘normal bowler’.

"Stop talking about him already," Rohit said of Amir in Kolkata on Tuesday. "He isn't the only bowler; Pakistan have five other bowlers who are doing well for them. There is just so much hype around him, I don't think it is right to give him too much hype after one match.”

Rohit further added that his comparison to former Pakistan left-arm bowling legend Wasim Akram was unjust.

“He is good but he needs to prove it over and over again,” said Rohit. “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."

PHOTO: AFP

Earlier, Indian batsman Virat Kohli had praised Amir for his exceptional spell of bowling while Pakistan were defending a paltry total against his side in the 2016 Asia Cup.

"I would like to compliment Mohammad Amir for the way he bowled. I actually congratulated him while he was bowling," Kohli had said in the post-match presentation ceremony after receiving the man-of-the-match award. "It was so happy to play such an amazing spell. He is a world-class bowler."

During the aforementioned four-over spell with the new ball, Amir finished with figures of three for 18 accounting for Rohit, Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina.

Amir bagged seven wickets in four matches during Pakistan’s Asia Cup campaign with an economy of 5.06 an over and Rohit thinks his compatriot Jasprit Bumrah, who bagged six wickets in five games with an economy of 5.22, should be the one being praised.

"Bumrah is already starting to make a mark,” said Rohit. “I would tell you that instead of talking about Amir you should talk about Bumrah. A rare talent like Bumrah… he is young and the way he has begun his career - he has a long way ahead no doubt - I think he will do something special for the country.”

Rohit further applauded Bumrah by saying: "He is an exception. He will come up with a surprise. Like, I was standing in the slip the other night in the finals and I couldn't make out what he is going to do. Even the captain doesn't know. He has got a good yorker, he has got a good bouncer and a good slower one. He has got all what a modern day bowler needs.”

The right-hand batsman went on to compare him with Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga for his uniqueness of action.

“His action is like that when Malinga first came and when I played him at the nets for the first time it was difficult,” he added. “You don't play such bowlers every day. I know only two bowlers in the world — Malinga and Bumrah — who have such unique actions."

Muhammad Amir's devastating spell against India in Asia Cup

Rohit Sharma was quoted by ESPNCricinfo