Backing Mohammad Amir’s call of retirement from Test cricket, former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has said that the decision has given the pacer a chance to extend his white-ball career.
Amir in July last year had announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect, however, the left-arm bowler has been playing for Pakistan in the white-ball game till date.
“Aamir is a top-class bowler and a match-winner. I love to watch him bowl. But by deciding to leave Test cricket I think he has given himself a chance of extending his white-ball career,” Arthur said in an interview on a YouTube cricket channel as quoted by PTI.
Arthur feels that his willingness to play Amir in every Test match certainly gave stress on the pacer’s body and forced him to call time on his red-ball career.
“Aamir spoke to me about it and he kept me in the loop on his decision. We discussed it many times. But maybe I was too hard on him playing him in every Test I could. I could see he was losing his hunger for test cricket and his body was not able to handle the pressure of three formats,” he added.
Amir played 36 Test matches for Pakistan since his debut in the format in the year 2009 against Sri Lanka and took 119 wickets.
The speedster’s sudden decision of calling time on his red-ball career was criticised by many former Pakistan cricketers, including the likes of country’s current head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach, Waqar Younis.