MELBOURNE: Australia’s top-order batsmen on Thursday watched footage of 17-year-old Pakistan quick Mohammad Aamir to check his reverse-swing ability.
Aamir, who has modelled his action on that of left-arm great Wasim Akram, can bowl at speeds approaching 150km/h and says his favourite batsman is Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
At an age when many Aussie cricketers are still years off playing in the Sheffield Shield, Aamir has played six Tests.
His returns have not been astonishing — 13 wickets at 43 with best figures of 3-38 — but an Australian batsman said he had been told to beware the youngster’s sharp pace and reverse swing.
Australia believes Aamir may be able to reverse swing the old ball both ways and players will pore over footage of him in action in Pakistan’s recent three Test series in New Zealand.
Australian coach Tim Nielsen also has footage of Pakistan’s tour match against Tasmania.
Aamir himself does not lack confidence. ‘I want to be the go-to guy for the team, someone the captain and the nation relies on to lead them to glory,’ he said recently.
Aamir says former Pakistan batsman Mudassar Nazar has played a crucial role in his development.
Mudassar was the director of the National Cricket Academy in Lahore when two back stress fractures hobbled Aamir on a youth tour to England in 2007 and has been a father figure to him.
Then, just as Aamir had returned to the bowling crease, he feared his career was over for good when he was contracted dengue fever in Malaysia during the ICC Under-19 World Cup.
‘I had no energy. I spent one month in a hospital and one month at home. The world had turned upside down for me,’ he said.—Agencies
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