Muhammad Amir is ready to make his come back in test cricket and that too in English conditions. He did go through a bad patch but we all must remember what a gem this talent was, before getting bowled out by spot fixing.
Nevertheless, can he repeat the same performance? I’m sure he can.
English captain Alaister cook is already under pressure and asking his teammates to “park the hype” about Aamir.
Here is a glimpse of what he did before getting exiled from world of cricket:
Re: Why all cricket lovers are excited about Amir!
Picture abhi baqi hai…
Re: Why all cricket lovers are excited about Amir!
**Mohammad Amir: Michael Atherton, Kevin Pietersen and Sachin Tendulkar react to seamer’s return
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Re: Why all cricket lovers are excited about Amir!
Mohammad Amir makes his long-awaited and controversial return to Test cricket for the first Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's on Thursday, live on Sky Sports. We've collated the views on Amir's return from inside the Sky Sports cricket commentary team, England players past and present, as well as one or two other greats of the game...
Michael Atherton "He made a bad mistake and he deserved some punishment, there is no getting away from that. "Five years out of the game and going to jail is a pretty heavy punishment - I think it was a six-month sentence of which he served three. "But I do think there were some mitigating factors and that's why I've had some sympathy for him and why I believe he deserves a second chance. "The first circumstance is the nature of the sting. It's important to understand that this was not a betting scam, there could be no bets made. "This was a sting set up to show that players were corruptible. It is perfectly fair to argue, I think, that the newspaper was creating a crime and enticing people into crime, although the justification was that the journalist had been given a tip-off. "They turned to the youngest and most vulnerable player in that team and put him under pressure to bowl those no-balls. So, I think on those two mitigating factors a ban for life would be unbelievably harsh. A five-year ban - that's fine."
Nasser Hussain "I am less sympathetic than Michael, because although it was a sting operation, Amir still knew what he was doing was wrong. He has said himself; 'I was cheating the game and the public'. "He is not a naive young man, he is well educated. They would have been told about the dangers of match-fixing, like we all were as players over the years - that's the wrong side, why I believe he should have got the ban he did. "But don't judge a person until you've walked in their shoes. Put yourself in that position - 18 years old, your hero Salman Butt, who has captained you most of your career says; 'do this, and if you don't, you'll be in big trouble', and in a culture where you're told to look up to and respect senior players. "Given that situation he made one wrong decision in his life, and should he pay for that for the rest of his career? I don't think so. He made an error and has paid for his error. I think we're a very cruel society if we tell a young 18-year-old that he's made one error, and that's it for his life. "It will be very tough for him at Lord's, he will get booed and have 'no-ball' shouted at him, but that comes with the mistake he made. He is a very fine cricketer, though - swings it late and at pace, and will get wickets in the series."
David Lloyd "It's nothing to do with the individual, but for me, match-fixers, spot-fixers, should be banned for life. My opinion on that has never changed. "I don't buy the excuse that he was young. Amir had played international cricket, and every international cricketer would know full well what you do when you get an approach. He chose not to. "I'm quite happy for him to play cricket at club level in Pakistan, but my view is that he shouldn't play international cricket for Pakistan. "That happens to be my opinion, other people have theirs which I'm very relaxed about. The decision has been made, I don't agree with it but life goes on."
Michael Holding "People have made mistakes in life, and been given second chances. People have committed murder, served their term, and found themselves back in society. What he did is minor in comparison. "If people aren't willing to forget the past, then certainly it might affect him. But what he has to try to do, is move on. If he goes out there and anyone boos or tries to heckle him, he has to just ignore them. "I am happy to see that he is back. When the incident occurred, I think he was pressured into doing what he did and I don't think it was naturally what he wanted to do. "Hopefully it's all upward going forward for him now and he will get back to showing us the ability he already displayed when he was a teenager."
Bob Willis "I'm very pleased indeed that he is back. I felt very sorry for him at the time and understood the predicament he found himself in. "He wasn't an innocent young man, but a naive one, and just a teenager. He had a captain he obviously revered who told him to do something wrong. It would take a very strong-willed teenager to turn round and say no to the captain. He was easy prey. "He has served his time - went through a very difficult period in his life - and has rehabilitated himself. "He is still a young, and very fine bowler. I hope he goes well and I hope that the English crowds are kind to him. I'm sure there will be a few idiots who might voice their protests, but hopefully not at Lord's."
Kevin Pietersen "Any sportsman or woman caught match fixing, spot fixing or taking drugs should be banned for life,"
Pietersen told The Telegraph. "They have broken the rules, should pay the price and not be given a second chance. "People always deserve a second chance in life but sport is different. We are paid to play a sport we love and are damn lucky to lead the life of a professional cricketer. To try and gain an advantage by taking drugs or devaluing your sport by being bribed is breaking the 11th and 12th commandments. There can be no way back."
Sachin Tendulkar "I think those that decided to penalise him, have already done so. He has served his sentence, and now he is able to pay. "He is a good bowler, has a huge amount of skill, and if he gets his rhythm right he can hopefully do something special."
Dominic Cork "I think if you've been found guilty of spot-fixing or any sort of cheating in sport - life ban. That would be my way of stopping it. "He has not been given that; he's back in, so now we have to support him. He has been accepted back in by the ICC and we will see what he does. "He is a talent; he has got pace, late swing and will cause England batsmen a lot of problems. Just ask Marcus Trescothick."
Stuart Broad "It is a huge story, back for his first Test at Lord's since the controversy six years ago, a massive story. But, as a team, it is a dangerous place to get waylaid by that, because we could find ourselves in a lot of trouble. "Having seen the way Amir has bowled at Taunton, we need to get in the right frame of mind, because he can do us some damage. "We need to just look at him as a cricketer and a bowler, and how we can negate that."
Joe Root "The decision has been made for him to play, so there's nothing further to say on it really. "It's a great opportunity for me to face him, I've not played him before, so I'm looking forward to that challenge and seeing how we go against him throughout this series."
Gary Ballance "He has served his time. I think he deserves a second chance. He is obviously a quality bowler so it is going to be tough facing him, but we're going to be up for it. "He showed when he was last here in 2010 how skillful he is and we know how tough it will be - especially with the ball swinging and seaming - it's not going to be easy but we play in these conditions a lot. So hopefully we'll be ready for him."
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Wahab Riaz** "Everybody is supporting Amir, nobody is reluctant. Everyone is taking to him as our young brother, he is a part of our family. We are all behind him. "He is a very talented bowler; is a very strong lad with good vision. He is eager to perform. What has happened in the past has gone now. I truly want him to perform well, to take five wickets in this Test - get his name and his image back and win this first Test for Pakistan. "You cannot stop what people are going to say; it doesn't matter what people think. We are not here to answer the people, we just want to play good cricket, a competitive series with England. They are a good team in their own home conditions, and our focus is on playing as well as we can at Lord's."
Re: Why all cricket lovers are excited about Amir!
David Lloyd, Kevin Pietersen, Dominic Cork and Graeme Swann not so forgiving..
The best way for Amir to silence his critics is through his performances and behaviour both on and off the pitch. No more shenanigans please..