Shoaib Akhtar feels just one ball during an entire ODI inning, instead of the two used currently, and less field restrictions would have made run-scoring tougher for Virat Kohli
FORMER Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes former India cricket captain and star batsman Virat Kohli can play for almost another decade. Kohli, now 34, could also be the one to break the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s 100-century record across formats.
“I appeal to Virat to play till the age of 43 years, you have eight or nine years more. India aapko wheelchair mein bhi khilayega and they will make you reach 100-100’s. (India will make you play in a wheelchair also). I feel he will score at least 110 hundreds by the time he retires,” Akhtar said on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket in Doha.
Kohli, after a prolonged century drought, made tons in all three formats recently. His 186 versus Australia in the final Test in Ahmedabad earlier this month was his first in the long format in over three years.
However, Kohli wouldn’t have scored as many centuries as he has currently – 75 across formats and 46 in One-day Internationals – if he had played in Akhtar’s era because the balance of the game was not titled as much in the batsman’s favour as it is today. He would have also been sledged much more, not only by Akhtar but also by the two Ws, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
“If I, Waqar (Younis) and Wasim bhai (Akram) would have been at our peak, then Virat ko mushkil bahut hoti (then Virat would have found it tough). We sledged a lot and being a Punjabi, he would have reacted. Hum usko tang bahut karte tha (we would have needled him a lot),” Akhtar said of the dream showdown.
Had Kohli played in the 90s, the Pakistani pacer feels he wouldn’t have got as many hundreds because only one white ball was used during a One-day International inning and the rules on number of fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. When just one white ball was used during an ODI inning, it used to get softer and discoloured during the final phase making it difficult to hit and also sight.
“If he had played in our times, then he might not have had these 70-odd hundreds, he might have scored 30-50 hundred but those hundreds would have been of a different class. We personally felt that Sunil Gavaskar was the greatest of all, especially when he played the bowlers of the 80s, they were the toughest of the bowlers to face. Gavaskar scored 34-odd hundreds then. Sachin is also great because he faced bowling of our times, with no restrictions for bowlers.”The Board of Control for Cricket in India had decided not to let the Indian men’s cricket team travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup because it won’t get clearance from the central government because of political tensions.
Akhtar said that the ‘relationship’ between the people of both countries is ‘good’ and that Pakistan is a safe country for foreign cricketers.
“Relationship of both the governments aren’t the same anymore, country-to-country relationship is not good but people-to-people relationship is good. Also how can anyone say it is not safe to play in Pakistan. We did eight PSLs (Pakistan Super League). England, New Zealand, West Indies came, now what more one wants? I’m an optimistic guy. I hope the both governments will be on the same page in future and after two or three years, Modi sahab (Indian prime minister Narendra Modi) inshallah will come to Lahore.”
