Legendary West Indian fast bowler Curtly Ambrose, who terrorized batsmen during his playing days, has picked three batsmen of the current generation that he would have relished bowling to in the present era.
The Antiguan's illustrious career saw him claim 405 wickets in 98 Test matches, cementing his status as one of the most feared bowlers in cricket history. Overall, he took 630 wickets in international cricket.
A dominant force throughout the 1990s with his menacing pace and bounce, Ambrose was asked about the current crop of batsmen he would have enjoyed bowling to.
He replied: "Virat (Kohli), (Steven) Smith and (Joe) Root".
Legendary players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara and numerous others have revolutionized the way cricket is perceived by fans and enthusiasts alike. But Ambrose, who admires Pakistan fast-bowling legend Wasim Akram, was concerned over the lack of recognition given to bowlers in today's cricketing landscape.
"Yes, I feel so sometimes. I have been in cricket for so long. Most of the time, if you ask someone their favourite cricketer, they would name a batter. I have played some great matches with them, and I admire them. But as a former fast bowler, I will lean towards the bowlers. Wasim Akram is one of my favourite fast bowlers," Ambrose was quoted as saying by ANI.
Ambrose shared his wisdom with the emerging cricketers who are gradually entering the sport.
He stated: "I would like to advise them (youngsters) to work on their skill-set and play more red-ball cricket. It is easier to transform your red-ball game and form into T20s. Most of the players doing well in T20s have played red-ball cricket and understand batsmanship.
"I would like to advise them to play more red-ball cricket and understand the skills, batsmanship and construction of an innings."
