Aamer Jamal had a dream debut against Australia in the just concluded Test series, where Pakistan were whitewashed by their hosts. Looking back at the series, there is not much to talk about regarding any notable achievements by Pakistan. Aamer Jamal in his first Test series has shown that he can be a part of the bowling attack for quite some time as the bowler also has age on his side.
The only exception seems to be Aamer Jamal, who took 18 wickets in six innings and made a hard-fought 82 in the third Test match batting at no. 9. The Pakistan media has gone beserk with their observations and hailed him as a great all-rounder. All this is based on a single knock.
Aamer Jamal, the next big in World Cricket
There is no doubt that Aamer Jamal was exceptional in the series for Pakistan, but to hail him as the next great all-rounder and compare him to the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes is immature and detrimental to the player who will have to bear the burden of expectations so early in his career.
Comparisons never make sense in cricket. It is worse to judge performances when the parameters for such comparisons are inconsistent. All-rounders like Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes have been around for a long time and consistently performed.
One wishes well for Aamer Jamal. All-rounders are invaluable in cricket. They give a balance to the team with their multiple talents and form the foundation for good batting or bowling performances in all formats. But like all cricketers, they need to be consistent for a long period to prove themselves.
It will be ironic if Aamer Jamal has a bad series in New Zealand in the T20 series. The same media will crucify him as a one-hit wonder. One hopes that the Pakistan team management has a plan to groom him for the future. If he does well in the next 3 to 4 years, it will make sense to compare him with all-rounders.