The tall Pakistan left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan believes that he ended the career of the former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir.
Mohammad Irfan grabbed the attention in his very early international career for his tall 7’1″ height. While India-Pakistan played their last bilateral international series in 2012/13 in India, Irfan featured for Pakistan in that tour.
From December 2012 to January 2013, the hosts India played two-match T20I and three-match ODI series against Pakistan. The T20I series had the draw result after both teams managed to win one game. In the ODI series, Pakistan won by the 2-1 margin.
Mohammad Irfan made his T20I debut in that tour and took one wicket in that T20I series. Later, in the ODI series, Irfan bagged a total of three wickets.
The 37-year-old Irfan has recently claimed that the Indian players were not comfortable to face his bowling in those limited-overs series.
Irfan told the ‘Samaa’ channel, “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.”
Irfan later added that the Indian left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir didn’t want to face him.
The tall Pakistan pacer added, “He (Gambhir) didn’t like to face me in 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 the 2012 limited-overs series and he was unnerved against me.”
However, Irfan dismissed Gambhir twice in the three matches of the ODI series. In the T20I series of that tour, the tall left-arm pacer never dismissed Gambhir.
I believe Gautam Gambhir ended his career – Mohammad Irfan
Mohammad Irfan has further claimed that he believes he was the main reason to end Gambhir’s career.
Irfan added, “I believe I ended his career. He did not play many more matches after that series.”
That 2012/13 home T20I series against Pakistan was Gambhir’s last T20I experience. Meanwhile, after that home ODI series (2012/13) against Pakistan, Gambhir played only one more ODI series and that was the subsequent five-match home ODI series against England in January 2013. Later, Gambhir played only four Tests before taking his retirement from cricket. In last December, Gautam Gambhir announced his retirement from cricket.
Virat Kohli also struggled to face Mohammad Irfan
Irfan further revealed that Virat Kohli also struggled to face him as he was facing to pick his pace. The tall pacer opened up the story of how he dismissed Virat Kohli on his debutant T20I.
Irfan said, “He (Virat Kohli) told me he thought I would be around 130-135 kph but I had increased my pace and I was bowling around 145 kph and he had problems picking me up. Once when he was batting he tried to pull a good length ball and missed.
“Yuvraj (Singh), who was at the other end told him in Punjabi. Don’t try to pull him, rather try to cut him. Off my third ball, he went for a pull and was caught behind. Yuvi Paji told him… now go back.”
After making his international debut in September 2010, Mohammad Irfan has played four Tests, 60 ODIs and 20 T20Is. In his international career, Irfan has picked up 10, 83 and 15 wickets respectively. Irfan hasn’t played an international game since September 2016.