Pakistani pacer Mohammad Irfan claims that he ended Gautam Gambhir’s career during the Pakistan-India series back in 2012.
Speaking to a local media outlet, Irfan said that Gambhir was afraid of him due to his fierce pace being bowled from a high release point.
When I played against India, they were not comfortable batting against me. Some of them told me in the 2012 series in India that they couldn’t sight my ball properly because of my height and also didn’t read my pace.
The 37-year-old claimed that Gambhir could not pick his bowl and struggled throughout the series against him.
He (Gambhir) didn’t like to face me in a match or when both teams had nets, I always felt he avoided eye to eye contact with me. I remember I got out him four times in 2012 limited over series and he was unnerved against me.
He also went on to say that current Indian skipper Virat Kohli was also having immense trouble against him.
He (Kohli) told me he thought I would be around 130-135 kmph but I had increased my pace and I was bowling around 145 kmph and he had problems picking me up.
He further added that his international career has suffered because of former head coach Mickey Arthur. Irfan claimed that Arthur did not like him.
Irfan added that he personally went to see Arthur twice but he was never treated fairly and still holds a grudge against the South African.
The left-arm fast bowler has featured for Pakistan in 60 ODIs and taken 83 wickets. He played his last ODI against England in September 2016.
Highlights
–Irfan dismissed Gambhir four times during that limited overs
series (T20s and ODIs) and the southpaw played only one more white-ball series for India (vs England) before being dropped.
–Gambhir played his last T20 for India against Pakistan at Ahmedabad in that series
–Irfan claimed that it was that particular series that ended Gambhir’s career.
Sasta Nasha