Out-of-favour Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has made a sensational claim regarding former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir.
Speaking in a recent interview, Irfan recalled how Gautam Gambhir’s distinct discomfort while facing him during the 2012 bilateral series finished the latter’s white-ball career.
Standing tall at 7ft 1 inch, Irfan dismissed Gambhir four times during that limited-overs series (T20s and ODIs), and the southpaw played only one more ODI for India (vs. England) before being dropped.
“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 told the Samaa TV, a Pakistani news channel.
“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 the 2012 limited over series, and he was unnerved against me,” Irfan said.
Gambhir played his last T20I for India against Pakistan at Ahmedabad in that series.
To a question, Irfan said he wouldn’t know anyone was “scared of facing him” but when he went out, fans congratulated him for ending Gambhir’s white-ball career. He further recalled in the interview that Virat Kohli had told him while batting against him, that he didn’t read his pace
“He (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,” Irfan added.
