Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has said that he was “surprised” by the retirement of fast-bowler Mohammad Amir from Test cricket.
Amir, regarded as one of the best left-arm pacers after Wasim, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Friday, but said he would continue to play ODIs and T20s for his country.
In a message sent out to his 4.9 million followers on Twitter, Wasim said Amir’s retirement was “a bit surprising” as the 27-year-old paceman was retiring at an age where most fast-bowlers peak in their careers.
“To me Mohammad Amir retiring from Test cricket is a bit surprising because you peak at 27-28,” Wasim said in his tweet.
Nine years after a spot-fixing ban briefly halted his burgeoning career, Amir, who took 119 wickets in his 36-match Test career, said he wanted to move away from the traditional format to concentrate on white ball cricket.
But Wasim, considered the best left-arm fast bowler of all time, appeared disappointed by Amir’s decision to quit “the ultimate format”.
“Test cricket is where you are judged against the best, it’s the ultimate format,” he tweeted. “Pakistan will need him in two Tests in Australia and then three in England.”
Pakistan are scheduled to play a total of 13 matches against six countries top Test countries in the newly-installed ICC World Test Championship till January 2021.
The country will host Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series this October, and travel to Australia for a further two Tests in November. They are also scheduled visit England for three Tests in July-August in 2020.
Wasim was joined by former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who also questioned Amir’s retirement and said it was time for the paceman to deliver for his country.
“How can 27-year-old Mohammad Amir retire? When Pakistan has invested so much in him, when they got him out of match-fixing (scandal) and brought him back (to the national team), now that he has returned to form, he is taking retirement now? This is beyond my comprehension!” he said.
“I’m thoroughly disappointed today that, when my peak came at 27, you have retired. I am really, really disappointed. This was the time for payback. When Pakistan is almost dead in Test cricket, you had to put in the effort. You had to deliver for the country and help them win series,” said the ‘Rawalpindi Express’.
Amir is currently in England where he is signed to play for Essex in the English season.
The bowler made an impressive entry into international cricket as a 17-year-old, taking six wickets in his debut Test against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2009. The following year, he took 20 wickets in four Tests against England but it culminated in a shocking spot-fixing saga unearthed by the now-defunct tabloid News of the World.
Amir, along with then Test captain Salman Butt and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif, was charged for illegally taking money in return for delivering deliberate no-balls in the Lord’s Test. All three were banned for a minimum of five years and were also jailed by a UK court.
The fast-bowler returned to play for Pakistan again in 2016 but the other two failed in their bids to resume their international careers.
Amir made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Galle in July 2009, he featured in 36 Tests, taking 119 wickets at an average of 30.47. His best bowling returns – six for 44 – were against the West Indies in Kingston in April 2017.
