India’s cricket fraternity divided over Amir’s return

MUMBAI: Over the past few days, nothing has polarised opinion in the international cricketing fraternity than the return of Mohammad Amir to the sport after being banned for spot-fixing in 2010. His return to cricket has raised the hackles of former England cricketers like Kevin Pietersen and Graeme Swann, who were both in the England team during that infamous match, even as the likes of Stuart Broad have asked the world to move on from the controversy.

India’s cricketing fraternity, too, is similarly divided over whether Amir deserves another chance ahead of his return to Test cricket against England at the Lord’s on Thursday. Former India player Balvinder Singh Sandhu believes cheats should be shown no leniency. “No second chance should be given to anyone who is convicted for fixing. If you give them a second chance, they’ll fix again, then you’ll give them a third chance… Fixers should be fixed for life. His age at the time of the offence does not matter. Once a cheat, always a cheat.”

Another former India cricketer, Maninder Singh, disagrees.

“I believe that Amir absolutely deserves to get another chance. Doesn’t everybody?

“At 18, he put up his hand and said ‘I made a mistake’. He’s spent over five years out of the sport. So he has already paid for his mistakes. So why should he not be back playing international cricket?” he said.

Ex-India cricketer Madan Lal also opined that the 24-year-old deserves the leniency shown to him by ICC. “He’s served a prison sentence and has been out of the sport for so long. So he should get another chance.”