Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar feels that Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman of this era. However, he also feels that there is someone who is the greatest ever batsman. Shoaib Akhtar said that Virat Kohli would have been competitive in their era too.
Shoaib Akhtar is part of the ongoing International League T20 2024 (ILT20 2024) in the UAE. Akhtar is the commentator and brand ambassador of the franchise T20 tournament. On the sidelines of the league, the former Pakistan pacer hailed Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli Is Greatest Batsman Of This Era: Shoaib Akhtar
Speaking to ANI, Shoaib Akhtar said that Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman of this era. He also added that he wants him to get hundred centuries.
“Virat would have been competitive (in our era). He could have faced difficulties but he would have scored the runs he has scored now. We would have faced a similar beating. But playing Wasim Akram is not easy. Virat is Virat. He is the greatest batsman of this era. Both eras cannot be compared. Hats off to him. I want him to get hundred centuries,” Shoaib Akhtar said.
Sachin Tendulkar is Greatest Ever: Shoaib Akhtar
However, the former right-arm pacer also feels that Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest-ever batsman. He noted that Sachin Tendulkar used to face reverse swing during his time and he faced some of the best bowlers in the world.
“Back then, Sachin (Tendulkar) was playing with one ball, which would reverse swing against some of the best bowlers in the world. There was only one circle. Today, Sachin would have made a lot of runs. He is the greatest ever…Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara etc. Wasim Akram and Shane Warne too,” he further added.
Sachin vs Virat debate is one of the biggest talking points in international cricket. While some perceive Tendulkar as the greatest batsman of all time, some fans hail Virat Kohli as the better batter. Notably, Kohli has shattered many records of Sachin Tendulkar during his career.
Virat Kohli Broke Sachin Tendulkar’s Record Last Year
Last year, Virat Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries during ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Kohli now accounts for 50 centuries in ODIs. He also broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most runs in an ODI World Cup.
Overall, Kohli accounts for 80 centuries across three formats. Notably, Sachin Tendulkar owns the record for 100 international centuries. Kohli, with multiple centuries last year, has a good chance to surpass that record in the coming years.
Meanwhile, Kohli will be next seen in the forthcoming Test series against England. India and England will wrestle with each other in 5 Tests in India. The IND vs ENG series commences on January 25 in Hyderabad.
Kohli was also part of the recent India vs Afghanistan T20I series. The right-handed batsman played two matches in the series. He scored 29-run off 16 balls in the 2nd game. However, he got out for a duck in the next match.
