Shahrukh Khan’s hitting ability reminds me of Pollard: Kumble

Shahrukh Khan didn’t get to face a lot of balls in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy but whenever he did, he was at his devastating best. So much so that, he was one of the hottest properties ahead of the IPL auction last February and was eventually scooped up by Punjab Kings signed him up for INR 5.25 crore, more than 25 times his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

As the 14th edition of the IPL draws close, the Tamil Nadu cricketer is showing signs of delivering excellent returns as Team director and head coach Anil Kumble feels the batsman has the ability of batting like Kieron Pollard.

"He (Shahrukh ) reminds me a bit of Pollard actually. When I was with Mumbai Indians, Pollard in the nets was dangerous. I used to bowl a bit (in the nets), and the first thing I used to tell him was don't hit straight," Kumble said in a video posted on Punjab Kings' Twitter.

“Here I'm not even trying. I'm a lot older now, and the body doesn't take bowling anymore. So, I'm not going to bowl at Shahrukh, for sure,” the former Indian skipper added.

Punjab Kings will open their IPL 2021 campaign against Rajasthan Royals on April 12 (Monday).