Gautam Gambhir played the defining knocks in India’s two World triumphs and is often regarded to be India’s best limited-overs cricketers in recent times. The former Indian opener scored over 5000 runs in 147 ODI matches for India, which included 11 hundreds, before bidding adieu to international cricket to start his political career with the ruling Bharati Janata Party (BJP). And so when out-of-favour, Pakistani fast-bowler Mohammad Irfan claimed that he ended the Indian left-handed batsman remarkable white-ball career, twitter couldn’t help but troll the 37-year-old pacer, who last represented Pakistan in 2016. Gautam Gambhir Terms Imran Khan ‘Role Model for Terrorists’, Calls For Excommunicating Pakistan Prime Minister From Sports Community.

“Gautam Gambhir was afraid of me. I think his career ended because of me," Irfan told Pakistan-based channel Samaa TV. Irfan dismissed Gambhir four times in the 2012 Indo-PAK limited-overs bilateral series and recalling that series where he troubled most of India’s batsmen, including Gambhir, Irfan said that after that Gambhir never played for India and therefore he would like to believe that he ended the southpaw’s limited-overs career.

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"He (Gambhir) didn't like to face me in the match or when both teams had nets, I always felt he avoided eye to eye contact with me. I remember I got out him four times in 2012 limited over series and he was unnerved against me,” said Irfan before adding that he was the reason, Gambhir "didn't return to the team.”

The 7ft 1inch bowler removed Gambhir thrice in the ODIs before also dismissing him in the first of the two-match T20I series. Gambhir never played a Twenty20 match for India after that 2012 bilateral series against Pakistan, while he was only picked for one more ODI series (England) before being eventually dropped.

“When I played against India, they were not comfortable batting against me. Some of them told me in the 2012 series in India that they couldn’t sight my ball properly because of my height and also didn’t read my pace.” Irfan also added that current Indian captain Kohli told him that he couldn’t read his pace properly and was facing problems.

“He told me he thought I would be around 130-135 kph but I had increased my pace and I was bowling around 145 kph and he had problems picking me up. Once when he was batting he tried to pull a good length ball and missed.”Yuvraj (Singh), who was at the other end told him in Punjabi. Don’t try to pull him, rather try to cut him. Off my third ball, he went for a pull and was caught behind. Yuvi Paji told him... now go back,” said Irfan, who played 60 ODIs for Pakistan but last represented them in 2016.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 07, 2019 04:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).