Rank #31 in ODIs and #34 in Tests - What happened to Mohammad Amir?

[BreadPakoda]

From the next Wasim Akram to this, what has happened?

Can PPers with good technical knowledge of bowling analyse what has happened?

 

[Hitman]

5 years away from the game and the humiliation he went through messed him up big time. That's what happened. Back in 2009/10, he bowled like there is no tomorrow. Now he bowls like he is working a 9 to 5 job.

 

[troodon]

5 years away from the game and the humiliation he went through messed him up big time. That's what happened. Back in 2009/10, he bowled like there is no tomorrow. Now he bowls like he is working a 9 to 5 job.

His Economy Rate is still good. He somehow does not get wickets. He is dangerous with the new ball for a few overs and then becomes a line and length bowler who is good for stemming the flow of runs.

 

[Sam99]

He saw and idolized Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

 

[Fahdi]

5 years away from the game and the humiliation he went through messed him up big time. That's what happened. Back in 2009/10, he bowled like there is no tomorrow. Now he bowls like he is working a 9 to 5 job.

sums it up

 

[WengerOut]

I am expecting a torrent of 'motivation' theory comments.

 

[MMHS]

Some how, he has lost his ability to bring the ball back (left-handers Out swing). Without that, he'll look brilliant with swing & movement, but won't take many wickets. One reason could be (not sure), that he plays in both format where he has to bowl with new Red & White balls; then in Red balls, he has bowled with Kookaburra & Dukes (& Greys probably in domestics) - this might have affected his grip & wrist position.

In recent times, I have seen Indian Test specialists (Ishant & Shami) are bowling exceptionally well with red ball, but BK has faded away in both formats. For PAk as well, Abbas & Hasan were fantastic in their game, but since his Test debut, Hasan seems to have lost his late swing skill with semi old white ball. Strac also is like fading once the had started in both formats, though he started brilliantly for both games.

Can't give better explanation, because Amir still looks so good with new ball.

 

[Usman Chadda]

5 years away from the game and the humiliation he went through messed him up big time. That's what happened. Back in 2009/10, he bowled like there is no tomorrow. Now he bowls like he is working a 9 to 5 job.

Can’t find a better description of Muhammad Amir

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Chronic knee problem.

 

[Titan24]

His wrist position is not right and he isn't coming close to the wicket enough. He is bowling from wider the crease and that isn't helping on flat wickets where swing is minimal, as the natural angle from wider the crease is taking the bowl away from right handers and minimizing any movement back in.

Its pretty odd that he hasn't been able to correct that for well over a year and a half now.

 

[javier]

Was never an ATG material. Finally settling down to his real potential. Rest are excuses.

 

[Savak]

Am sick and tired of the 5 year excuse. He has had 3 years to get back into the swing of things and to sort his bowling out. The reality is that he started off like a shooting star but then quality international batsmen made adjustments and preparation for his bowling for e.g. Rohit Sharma changed his stance against Amir knowing Amir got him out LBW twice and Amir only really brings the ball into the right hander and has handled him with ease since then.

This is what all quality international sides doo, they watch video tapes, analysis, bring their memory and recollection of how they faced you and make adjustments.

Amir has just been exposed. Lol even Mohd Asif in a brief interview on tv questioned why are the pacers who played and served Pakistan from 2010 to 2015 being ignored, played like musical chairs while Amir is being accommodated each and every step of the way with nothing to show for it.

 

[introvert]

Lack of passion.

 

[Justcrazy]

Nothing . He was a good bowler , not a great one as people hailed him.

 

[hafizexpress]

He's had too much pressure on him and expectations. He needs a break which he had not gotten since his comeback. He still has time unless he loses motivation for cricket. He'll be back

 

[Zaz]

Hes not locking his wirst n flicking

 

[Bilal7]

He was not the next Wasim. Plus, time away from the game and the stigma that comes with it has taken its toll, not to mention the grind that is bowling on the pitches of the UAE.

He's still a very good bowler and shows his quality in some explosive bursts (Asia Cup, CT Final, England).

Should get around 250 wickets in both tests and ODIs at an average around 27-30 which would be a great achievement.

 

[pakistani pride]

He's had too much pressure on him and expectations. He needs a break which he had not gotten since his comeback. He still has time unless he loses motivation for cricket. He'll be back

He doesnt seem one to get under pressure quick. I still believe he has lots to offer. Still have hope he comes back with fire.

But what ever happens to me one of the most impac full PAK bowlers ever!

 

[hafizexpress]

He doesnt seem one to get under pressure quick. I still believe he has lots to offer. Still have hope he comes back with fire.

But what ever happens to me one of the most impac full PAK bowlers ever!

Yeah for sure he's had his impactful moments!

And I take back some of what I said he it's not pressure it's the fan's expectations of him that makes him hated on. He's not the best but people want the best out of him and even his decent performances get hated on because there's more expected of him.

But there is also less motivation from him and it shows in his bowling as he lacks fire 9/10 times.

I do hope he comes back better though I honestly believe he needs rest he's constantly been playing for the past 3 years

 

[Hasan123]

The time away did a lot of damage for him. Missesd out on the chances to develop his bowling muscles hence his fitness issues . He would have got a county deal following summer after the English tour when he got caught spot fixing which would have aided his development.

Whilst he always had talent, I don't think he ever had the potential to surpass or even come close to Wasim like some thought at the time of his debut. But without the ban he would have had a better career than he will finish with.

 

[shaz619]

I believe he can still come back and deliver but no longer has the ability to become an all time great so people should lower their expectations. Like a poster said, the period of inactivity affected him is bio-mechanics and mental state of mind, but he is a fighter and one our best pacers; would be a silly move to discard him altogether. Am sure he will remain in our plans moving forward.

 

[Saj]

By now I would have expected him to have been in the top 10 in all 3 formats.

Some bad luck, some technical issues, but going forward a lot of hard work is needed.

 

[the_outsider]

Two things:

Firstly, 5 years away from the game always meant that there's a small chance of him coming back as the same bowler he was.

Secondly, he was overrated to begin with.

Even before he went away, his average of 29 and ER of 3.10 - despite playing 80% of his matches in SENA - doesn't exactly scream out "bowling genius".

But he was hyped nonetheless (perhaps on promise more than his performance) and his ban actually fueled the hype further. Perhaps, if he didn't get banned he wouldn't even be playing for Pakistan today.

 

[the_outsider]

Some how, he has lost his ability to bring the ball back (left-handers Out swing). Without that, he'll look brilliant with swing & movement, but won't take many wickets. One reason could be (not sure), that he plays in both format where he has to bowl with new Red & White balls; then in Red balls, he has bowled with Kookaburra & Dukes (& Greys probably in domestics) - this might have affected his grip & wrist position.

In recent times, I have seen Indian Test specialists (Ishant & Shami) are bowling exceptionally well with red ball, but BK has faded away in both formats. For PAk as well, Abbas & Hasan were fantastic in their game, but since his Test debut, Hasan seems to have lost his late swing skill with semi old white ball. Strac also is like fading once the had started in both formats, though he started brilliantly for both games.

Can't give better explanation, because Amir still looks so good with new ball.

Sorry but that makes no sense. Bumrah, Rabada, Boult, Starc, Woakes, Ngidi, Southee, Cummins, Hazlewood, Roach, Wagner, Philander.

There are so many bowler even today - let alone all the bolwers of the past - who manage to adjust with the red/white ball and perform day in and day out.

If that is what's holding Amir back then he isn't fit to play at the international level anyway.

 

[aloo paratha]

It's not like he was ever #1 or even #10, this is his normal, there's not really a decline.

 

[MMHS]

Sorry but that makes no sense. Bumrah, Rabada, Boult, Starc, Woakes, Ngidi, Southee, Cummins, Hazlewood, Roach, Wagner, Philander.

There are so many bowler even today - let alone all the bolwers of the past - who manage to adjust with the red/white ball and perform day in and day out.

If that is what's holding Amir back then he isn't fit to play at the international level anyway.

I think, apart from Boult & Woakes, may be Southee as well, rest are not actually proper swing bowlers. Also, most of these players are playing LOs selectively, and they are given rest from an entire series - Amir is been part for every LO squad for last 2 years.

Olden days, fast bowlers mainly focused on Test, and played lot more FC games, these days there are too many white ball cricket, therefore don't think comparison is fair. And, they used similar balls for both Test & ODIs (white color ball), but now they use two different types of balls - hand stitched Test balls & machine stitched Kookaburra. At present the best 2-3 exponents of swinging red ball are Anderson, Broad & Styen - first two hardly plays ODI/List A while Styen's ODI figure is quite ordinary for his legendary status.


Not saying that's the only reason, but may be playing selective series (rather picked for selective series - no point picking in a series and not playing, because he is bowling in nets even if not playing in game) might bring his focus back. Also, when he started, he was bowling with beautiful run-ups & delivery stride, now he is messing up his run-up, bowling too wide from wicket as well. If Left-arm swing bowler doesn't delivery from very close to stick, he is reducing significant % of his chances - won't get LBW much and batsmen can leave lot from the angle. Boult is releasing almost from above the bail and that makes him extremely difficult to leave.

 

[the_outsider]

I think, apart from Boult & Woakes, may be Southee as well, rest are not actually proper swing bowlers. Also, most of these players are playing LOs selectively, and they are given rest from an entire series - Amir is been part for every LO squad for last 2 years.

Olden days, fast bowlers mainly focused on Test, and played lot more FC games, these days there are too many white ball cricket, therefore don't think comparison is fair. And, they used similar balls for both Test & ODIs (white color ball), but now they use two different types of balls - hand stitched Test balls & machine stitched Kookaburra. At present the best 2-3 exponents of swinging red ball are Anderson, Broad & Styen - first two hardly plays ODI/List A while Styen's ODI figure is quite ordinary for his legendary status.


Not saying that's the only reason, but may be playing selective series (rather picked for selective series - no point picking in a series and not playing, because he is bowling in nets even if not playing in game) might bring his focus back. Also, when he started, he was bowling with beautiful run-ups & delivery stride, now he is messing up his run-up, bowling too wide from wicket as well. If Left-arm swing bowler doesn't delivery from very close to stick, he is reducing significant % of his chances - won't get LBW much and batsmen can leave lot from the angle. Boult is releasing almost from above the bail and that makes him extremely difficult to leave.

Boult, Southee, Wagner, Woakes, Philander, Starc are all swing bolwers.

Apart from Starc most of them play all the games for their respective countries. They might give T20s a miss but, when fit these bowlers hardly miss matches.

Even in the previous generation we had plenty of swing bolwers who played both formats and played them well.

The technical issues you bring up can certainly be factors. Addressing them might change his fortunes. We'll have to wait and see.

But if a bowler is struggling to adjust between the red ball and white ball so much so that he cannot perform in either format, then that just means he's a poor bowler. If he was good with the red ball and struggled with the white ball or vice versa, I would still understand. But he struggles in both formats.

 

[FastBowlingAllrounder]

He seems to become a bit more chest on. Before, Amir used to come close to the stumps (when bowling over the wicket) and bowl more side on (at least compared to now). A more side on action allowed him to bowl the ball around a right hander's off stump without "pushing" the ball.

Now he runs in slightly slower and seems to be more front on in that his chest points towards the batsman more upon back foot landing. Therefore he doesn't get much "zip" of the pitch and the front on angle has made it difficult for the ball to swing because he is "pushing the ball" towards the batsman. This in turn has messed with his wrist positioning and therefore he doesn't have the same pace and swing of the Amir of old.

 

[Abdul]

He was, is, and will always be a GARBAGE bowler. This is what happens when people glorify a convicted criminal.

 

[Pete Rose]

I think he definitely needed time off. But yes his performance has been poor. Why there's a lot of passion about his form is because the gap between the hope and the reality is far too big.
I am glad he is able to return to the anonymity of domestic cricket to figure a few things out.

 

[jaf348]

Boult, Southee, Wagner, Woakes, Philander, Starc are all swing bolwers.

Wagner is a hit the deck bowler who bowls a heavy ball.

Neither is Philander who is a seam bowler. Ponting himself mentioned in an interview that Philander was the toughest bowler he's faced as he usually bowls straight in the air and can seam it both ways off the pitch.

 

[Buffet]

30+ rank should have been a cause of concern if he was ranked in top 5 in past.

 

[Stewie]

He will be back.. he is like flintoff .. wouldnt be a great but can do wonders for the team at times..

 

[waleed88]

5 years away from the game and the humiliation he went through messed him up big time. That's what happened. Back in 2009/10, he bowled like there is no tomorrow. Now he bowls like he is working a 9 to 5 job.

He would be the same bowler as he is now, no difference for me. His stats got inflated since he bowled in foreign conditions. He was as ineffective as he is now on flat tracks...

 

[Wonderwoman]

He was never that great to begin with. Only good performances in England where Indian trundlers could swing the ball well. Outside England he was average in the start and and is average now.

 

[sali]

His action before the ban and after the ban is just not same. That little jump at the start is just not there.