IND v SA | I told Mohammad Shami that he could become the king of reverse swing, reveals Shoaib Akhtar
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has revealed that he had told Mohammad Shami that he could become the next king of reverse swing during a phone conversation between the two. Akhtar further expressed that he believes Rohit Sharma will go on to become a great Test player from here on.
Akhtar revealed that Shami had called him up after India’s disappointing exit from the World Cup to share the pain the Indian pacer was going through. The 44-year-old managed to cheer him up by encouraging him to maintain his fitness and wait to unleash his reverse swing abilities when the South Africans visit.
"I told Shami that I want him to become a tearaway pacer, running through batting line-ups. He has seam and swing, besides that he has reverse swing which very few bowlers in the subcontinent have. I told him you can become king of reverse swing," Akhtar said via his YouTube channel, reported PTI.
"Now, you see what he has done, he has got wickets from a docile pitch (in Visakhapatnam). I am very happy for him," Akhtar said.
Sadly, for Akhtar, who took 178 wickets from 46 Tests for Pakistan, none of his own countrymen gets in contact with him for advice.
"Sadly, our Pakistani fast bowlers don't ask me how they can improve their bowling but the Indian bowlers like Shami are doing that. It is a sad scenario as far as my country is concerned," Akhtar said.
Meanwhile, he continued his praise for India’s new Test opener Rohit, who smashed two centuries in the first Test between India and South Africa.
"Rohit Sharma is hitting hundred after hundred and I have been saying that Rohit should be in the Indian Test team. From here, he will become a great Test player. Rohit the Test player will grow bigger," Akhtar added.