Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir said that Virat Kohli wouldn't have been able to differentiate between Pakistan and India, had he scored his century in Pakistan instead of Dubai. Kohli scored an unbeaten 100* (111) against Pakistan to help India win by six wickets.
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00:00I don't need to tell you who is standing with us. It's Mohammad Amir.
00:04You look great and fit.
00:06I feel that the Pakistan team should still think about taking your retirement back.
00:11No, no. It's been two times. It's enough.
00:14Not now?
00:15No, not now.
00:16Okay, I will talk about other things. But before that, I want to know from you.
00:19What cricket are you playing now?
00:22I have recently played ILT.
00:24After that, there is PSL.
00:26Then there is my CPL sign.
00:28This month, only this is free. After PSL, we will play Bhaag Milka Bhaag.
00:34So tell me, the Champions Trophy that is going on right now,
00:37the performance of Pakistan is not as expected from the fans.
00:40What do you think are the major reasons behind this?
00:43Nikhil, there are a lot of reasons.
00:45If you start counting them all, it will take you two hours of interview.
00:51But if you want to know the basics,
00:55when the squad was announced, everyone was saying that there is no balanced squad.
01:00Because, okay, there are shortcomings in the system, in the structure.
01:05But the best management or the smart leader tries to utilize the best resources.
01:14I think we have been failing as a management.
01:18The whole world has been saying that you should have genuine openers here.
01:23You should have extra spinners.
01:25We didn't have that, so everyone saw the results.
01:28Okay, I was reading some of your statements earlier.
01:31Did you feel that taking some groupism is also a big problem if you look at the team right now?
01:36Look, this has been going on since every era.
01:39Look, I see this thing in such a way that,
01:43where there are 15-20 girls, everyone's way of speaking, way of thinking, lifestyle is different.
01:50Everyone doesn't agree with everyone.
01:53But at the end of the day, the goal is to perform for the team.
01:58That shouldn't be left behind.
02:00Yes, there are issues.
02:01Sometimes the captain doesn't like someone's attitude.
02:04Sometimes the player doesn't like the captain's attitude.
02:06But the spirit that,
02:11if I have to go in, I have to do what the team needs.
02:15That shouldn't end.
02:16If it ends because of that, then there will be problems.
02:19Okay, one thing, when we come from India,
02:21we always used to think about Pakistan.
02:23Where do their fast bowlers come from?
02:25I started watching cricket in the 80s.
02:27From then till you played, Shoaib bhai played,
02:29that was the supply line.
02:31My question is that,
02:32for some time now, you have seen that Pakistan is not doing so well in cricket.
02:35But I see the same bowling attack.
02:37The same thing about Shahenshah Afridi, the same thing about Haris Rauf, the same thing about Naseem Shah.
02:41I want to know if there is bench strength or not.
02:44Because performance doesn't come, but we don't look at anyone else.
02:47You only know if there is bench strength or not when you use it.
02:52When you don't use it,
02:53for example, Hasnain comes and plays one match,
02:55then he sits down.
02:56Waseem Junior came,
02:58we don't know where he is.
03:00Then we invested 1.5 years on Abbas Afridi,
03:03that champion trophy came, it disappeared.
03:05So Irfan Khan Niazi,
03:07we thought he had the potential to play international cricket,
03:10he is a good fielder, he is fit,
03:12he can be a good finisher.
03:14He suddenly disappeared.
03:15So we ourselves spoil the bench strength.
03:17Until the bench strength is consistent,
03:19which is called, you won't get a run.
03:21You won't know what your bench strength is.
03:23In every series, your bench strength changes.
03:2515 boys are different,
03:27in the next series something else happens.
03:28The core of those 3-4 boys,
03:30those who are around, they change.
03:32Although they shouldn't.
03:33Like Mohammad Haris, everyone said that he is very talented.
03:36Because of 2-4 failures, he disappeared.
03:39So this is also our fault.
03:41Because we don't even utilize the bench strength properly.
03:44If I see many memories related to you,
03:47one is the 2017 champion trophy final.
03:50I was at the Oval Maidan,
03:52I won't forget what we saw that day.
03:54Now I have stopped to eat food,
03:56before coming here.
03:57So the TV screen was installed in that restaurant.
03:59And the match, India-Pakistan was going on.
04:01I thought the Halya match was going on.
04:03In that, the champion trophy final was going on,
04:052017.
04:06So maybe the people who were sitting there,
04:08to make them happy, that highlight is played.
04:10What are your memories of that match?
04:13Nikhil, I always say that
04:15I was a part of the 2009 world champion team.
04:19The first over that I did to Dilshan,
04:22people remember it a lot.
04:24Yes, I was on the ground then also.
04:26I think this is very close to my heart.
04:28Honestly.
04:29To play in the final in England,
04:31to play with a team like India,
04:33such a big team.
04:34And you know that on paper,
04:36at that time also it was said that
04:37India is the strongest side.
04:39And then Virat, Dhawan, Rohit Sharma.
04:42To defeat such a team,
04:43which is also a hot favourite,
04:46I think you can't explain its charm.
04:49Like you just said,
04:50even today it was going on.
04:53So I think this lifetime,
04:55whenever the mention of 2017 comes,
04:58of the champion trophy,
04:59people always remember my performance.
05:01Okay, in those days,
05:02this was also a big thing,
05:03Mohd. Aamir vs Virat Kohli.
05:05I have come here,
05:06I saw a lot of Virat Kohli fans here.
05:09What do you think,
05:10why does Virat get so much love?
05:11What is so special about him?
05:13See, why does Ronaldo get it?
05:15Why does Messi get it?
05:17Because, especially if I talk about Ronaldo,
05:20you see his lifestyle,
05:22apart from cricket,
05:24his charity works,
05:25his work ethics,
05:26his lifestyle,
05:28that is a complete package.
05:29And I think in cricket,
05:30this time, Virat Kohli is a complete package.
05:33And why shouldn't such a package be a role model?
05:35Country doesn't matter to me.
05:37I always say,
05:38country doesn't matter
05:39whether it is from Pakistan,
05:40India,
05:41Afghanistan,
05:42England,
05:43it can be from anywhere.
05:44A role model can be from anywhere.
05:45And I think his lifestyle is very good,
05:48of this generation.
05:50I think,
05:51the inspiration of Virat Kohli,
05:53and all the youngsters,
05:55who especially want to become cricketers,
05:57especially want to become batsmen,
05:59they should follow Virat Kohli's footsteps.
06:01Okay, his form has been great.
06:04He has been great in white ball.
06:06He was good in Test cricket as well.
06:07Now we have seen a dip in Test cricket.
06:09What do you think?
06:10Is this temporary?
06:11Or are there some shortcomings?
06:12Can we work on some things?
06:13Look, Virat,
06:14I think he is such a player,
06:16for him,
06:17these patches don't matter.
06:20If you see,
06:22his work ethics have not changed till date.
06:24Whether he is in the form,
06:25whether he is not in the form,
06:27he always follows his work ethics like this.
06:29Especially if you see,
06:31before the match between Pakistan and India,
06:33there was news in the media,
06:35that he practiced alone for 1.5-2 hours.
06:38Although,
06:39I think,
06:40Virat Kohli,
06:41has lived his best life.
06:43He is 36,
06:44I think 37.
06:45He might retire after 2 years.
06:47But his work ethics,
06:49I think,
06:50are still here.
06:51So I always say,
06:53you should never doubt his ability.
06:55Okay, another player,
06:56whose ability is being talked about a lot,
06:58Jaspreet Bumrah.
06:59Oh yes.
07:00What is special about him?
07:01I also think,
07:02if you talk about fast bowling,
07:04he is a complete package.
07:06Okay.
07:07You get him to play a test match,
07:08he will play a new ball,
07:09he will play an old ball,
07:10he will play a semi-new ball,
07:11you get him to play a one-day,
07:12a new ball,
07:13wherever you want him to play,
07:14wherever the team needs him,
07:16in whichever situation,
07:17he always delivers, right?
07:19It is the same in T20 as well.
07:20So I would say,
07:21the complete package,
07:23should be a role model.
07:25And Bumrah, I think,
07:26he is the best.
07:28If you talk about fast bowling,
07:29in the world,
07:30he is the number one.
07:31Okay,
07:32you are taking all the fast bowlers,
07:33like Cummins,
07:35Archer,
07:36Barbada.
07:37The ones you are talking about,
07:38in some format,
07:39there is a flaw,
07:40that here,
07:41he is a little less,
07:42here, he is a little better.
07:43But,
07:44Bumrah,
07:45you tell me,
07:46when you talk about tests,
07:47you say Bumrah is the best.
07:48If you talk about T20 performances,
07:50you say Bumrah is the best.
07:51If you talk about one-day,
07:52you say Bumrah is the best.
07:53I think he is the number one.
07:54Okay,
07:55before leaving,
07:56I noticed this,
07:57you have a pair of shoes,
07:58I saw this,
07:59I saw this in your shoes,
08:00I saw this in Shoaib's shoes too.
08:01Yes.
08:02This is because,
08:03when it lands,
08:04Yeah,
08:05it touches the thumb,
08:06so,
08:07it annoys,
08:08so,
08:09because of that,
08:10when it lands,
08:11you get this space.
08:12So,
08:13mentally,
08:14when you are in the match,
08:15you are a little easy.
08:16Before leaving,
08:17if the Indian team comes to Pakistan?
08:18I swear,
08:19they should have come.
08:20Virat,
08:21who has scored 100 in Dubai,
08:22if he had scored here,
08:23he would have forgotten,
08:24whether he scored 100 in Pakistan
08:25or in India.
08:26He wouldn't have seen the difference.
08:27And,
08:28he should have come to Pakistan.
08:29He should have done it.
08:30I say,
08:31if he had come,
08:32he would have enjoyed it a lot.
08:33He is still here.
08:34You said,
08:35he has been here for 2-3 years.
08:36Maybe.
08:37You never know.
08:38Amir bhai,
08:39thank you so much.
08:40No worries.
08:41Thank you for talking to us.
08:42No worries.
08:43No worries.