Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar who also goes by the name Rawal-Pindi Express has applauded star Indian batter Virat Kohli for his fitness and affirmed that the 34-year-old will be able to score more than 100 hundred centuries across all formats if he gives up on playing the shortest format of cricket.
Akhtar discussed about the possibility of Kohli playing for 6-8 years more and break many records if he is able to manage workload as well as fitness which he has maintained really well until now. The 47-year-old suggested that Kohli should not feature in T20Is and remain fully focused on ODIs and Tests.
Kohli should continue playing and should stop hearing the criticism he faces quite often. Both Virat and Babar are great players from our continent.
Virat Kohli recently broke his Test century drought against Australia in the 4th BGT Test and Shoaib Akhtar feels that if the batter plays 50 Tests from now he will amass at least 25 Centuries. And Kohli has plenty of chances of Glory this year with the ICC WTC Test and ICC Cricket World Cup on the horizon.
In 2023 (till now), Virat Kohli has played 8 One Dayers and scored 373 runs alongside 2 Centuries against Sri-Lanka in the 1st and 3rd ODI. And after a shape shifting end to Test Century drought, Kohli scored 186 to help India draw and win the series by 2-1.
Virat Kohli is on song here.
Back to back boundaries by him to get to his 150.#INDvAUS #TeamIndia @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/rEHsp7QvG8
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2023
However, he hasn’t replicated the same form in the first 2 ODIs barring the first at Wankhede. At YS Reddy Stadium on Sunday, Kohli got off to a good start but failed to build on due to an orthodox bowling attack up front. However, the final ODI at Chidambaram will be a great place to really test their skills heading into the Indian summer.
Kohli himself will be appearing in the IPL with RCB for the 16th season in order to lift the elusive trophy. It will be a hectic summer as usual and on that note Shoaib Akhtar said –
“As a cricketer, I would advise Kohli to stop playing T20I and just focus on ODIs and Tests. He is an exciting player in the middle and I think, T20Is take a lot of energy and he needs to save it now. If he does so, he’s just 34 and can easily play 6-8 years from now. Even if, from now on, he plays 50 Tests he can easily hit 25 hundreds.”
