Follow UsFormer Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar has come in support of the former Indian skipper Virat Kohli in the wake of criticisms from all corners. Earlier in the week, former Indian World-Cup winning captain Kapil Dev criticised Kohli, saying that the 33-year-old should no longer be a certain in the Indian playing XI.
Akhtar also attacked the critics, saying that the former Indian skipper is still one of the greatest batters in world cricket in the last ten years.
"But, as a Pakistani, why am I supporting Kohli? Well, he has 70 hundreds. Woh 70 sau khaala ke ghar mein ya candy crush khelte huye nahi banein hain. (Those 70 tons were not scored in his aunt's backyard or while playing Candy Crush),” Akhtar said.
"How did you even imagine in your wildest dreams that Kohli can be dropped from Indian team?"
"Virat Kohli is finished? Ok, fair enough. Virat Kohli should be dropped? Agreed. Now when I hear these things, I laugh and tell people, 'Virat has been the greatest batter in the world in the last 10 years.
The former Pakistani pacer also insisted that the 33-year-old should forget that he was India’s captain previously and just focus on his batting. Akhtar believes that the shift in focus would allow Kohli to rediscover his lost form.
"My advice to Virat would be simple -- he should forget that he ever was captain of India with all the limelight on him and just simply focus on his batting. All the criticism that is directed at him is designed to make him stronger and he will emerge as a bigger person."
"Runs will come if he sticks around and just mere hitting won't suffice. I had predicted 110 international hundreds, and once he is back in form, he will hit 30 hundreds," said Akhtar, who urged the Indian superstar to swallow the anger and criticism and channelise that into performance.
(With inputs from PTI)