My national comeback chapter is closed, says Mohammad Amir

New Delhi: Former Pakistan and Desert Vipers pacer Mohammad Amir has cleared that now he is not focusing on making a comeback to international cricket for his country.

Amir, who had retired from international cricket in 2020 but later expressed a desire to return, believes that the chapter of his national comeback is closed.

Instead, he envisions a coaching role in the future, possibly after four to five years.

"I've no plans to come back as of now," Amir said during a virtual media interaction on International League T20. “My national comeback chapter is closed, coaching after four-five years may be,” he added.

Speaking about the current crop of Pakistan pacers, Amir praised young talent Naseem Shah, describing him as a "complete bowler." Amir expressed regret that Naseem Shah's injury ruled him out of the World Cup, stating that his presence could have made a difference.

"Personally, I like Naseem Shah. To me, he is a complete bowler. It's Pakistan's misfortune that he got injured before the World Cup. He could have made a difference," he told mediapersons.

Amir also highlighted the improvement in the performances of young pacers like Wasim Junior but emphasized the importance of proper grooming for the fast bowlers.

The former pacer shared his insights on Shaheen Shah Afridi's struggles post a knee injury, acknowledging that it's common for players to face challenges after returning from an injury. He expressed optimism about Shaheen Shah Afridi's progress and noted the potential impact of playing more cricket on rebuilding his confidence.

Amir also shifted his focus across the border, recognizing the emergence of Indian left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh as a potential solution to India's prolonged search for a reliable left-arm fast bowler.

"Arshdeep can be a very good left-arm pacer. India needs one who can consistently bowl at 135-140," Amir said, emphasizing the significance of a dependable left-arm pacer for India.

Amir commended the growth of Indian pacers, particularly highlighting the impressive performances of Mohammed Siraj. He praised the rotation policy adopted by the Indian team to keep their pace bowlers fresh and noted that India's future in fast bowling looks promising.

Amir is currently playing for the Desert Vipers in ILT20. The Desert Vipers have kept sustainability at its core with initiatives that help reduce carbon emission and create a cleaner environment.

With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, Amir highlighted the significance of tournaments like the ILT20 in maintaining a consistent developmental process for young players.

“I have a belief that whenever you bring a young player into the system, you clearly tell them what their role is. Along with telling them their role, you tell them what your role is as well. For us, mostly, apart from India, if you look at Sri Lanka or Pakistan, our plans change series by series. And that should not happen. And until you give a player a free run or allow him to express himself, he won’t be able to groom himself. Because you don’t get results in one day, it’s a process. And a process happens over a few series, so when you bring a player in, you should have the mindset to play him for a period of five years for him to develop. In Asia, apart from India, after every series the plans change, and that shouldn’t happen.

"And as a senior player, whenever youngsters ask me questions about what they can do differently, I say that your mindset has to be relaxed. And as senior players we should make sure that the youngsters have a relaxed mind because when your mind is relaxed you can express yourself better.”