Virat Kohli has now become dream wicket of every bowler. He has raised his batting standard and that has increased the value of his wicket too. There are not many bowlers in international cricket currently who can trouble the Indian skipper.
Pakistan's speedster Mohammad Amir has managed to possess a threat for the Indian captain, something that even Virat has admitted. A newly emerged Pakistan pacer Rumman Raees hopes to do the same when he clashes with the ace batsman.
“I still haven’t bowled to Steve Smith, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. But I have bowled to Kane Williamson. It’s very difficult to get him out. He has a very compact technique. But I managed to get him out four times. And then you have Hashim Amla, one of the greatest of all-time. It was a good learning curve bowling to him.
“I’m not here to issue a challenge but I hope to get the better of Kohli, Smith and AB de Villiers whenever I get a chance to bowl to them. It would be a great feeling,” Raees said.
Raees wants to play Test cricket for a long time. He isn't influenced by the ongoing league cricket trend. The 26-year-old left-arm pacer has a clear focus on the longest format despite a rise in demand of T20 cricket.
“There’s a lot of cricket played now. The demand of ODI and T20 cricket has increased,” he said.
“But for me, Test cricket is the ultimate format. I personally want to play all three formats. I am a part of the ODI and T20 setup. For Tests, I’ll have to work my fitness a lot more, work on my pace and then only I’ll stand a chance to get selected.”
Asked how much of a big role the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has played in shaping up his career; Raees, who has played nine ODIs and eight T20 internationals, said, “It has been a magnificent experience. I got selected in the Pakistan team because of PSL. Viewers get to see some quality cricket. It is a well-disciplined league.
“Playing in PSL has helped me deal with pressure. I feel a lot more composed at the international stage now. Plus the experience of senior pros helps a lot,” said Raees.
Raees said he respects his competition of pacers in the Pakistan team. “We have six left-armers including myself (Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Usman Khan Shinwari). And then we have Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf. You need to respect the competition. It’s all about performing to the best of your ability.”
