Former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram has come in support of Virat Kohli as the batter has been criticized recently for his poor strike rate against spinners in the ongoing IPL 2024. Virat Kohli recently played a brilliant knock of 42 in RCB’s win over GT at home.
With this knock, Kohli also regained his Orange Cap for most runs in the IPL 2024. He now has 542 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 148.09 and an average of 67.75. He has hit one ton and 4 fifties.
Kohli's strike rate against spinners has become a contentious issue as Indian batters gear up for the T20 World Cup. Fans and analysts have continued to criticize Kohli, with former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar even going so far as to omit him from his preferred India side for the T20 World Cup, fueling further debate and speculation.
However, Wasim Akram said that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter has been doing what's expected of him in IPL 2024, but the others in the team also need to rise to the challenge. The legendary pacer dismissed all the negativity around Kohli's performance as an unnecessary debate.
"If a batter is scoring 100 at a strike rate of 150, then it's fine. If the team was winning, there wouldn't have been criticism, but they are again in the last position. When Kohli was captain, the pressure was on. Now, he is not the captain, still, there is pressure on him.
He is scoring runs in one game after the other, but one person cannot win you matches. The entire team has to do it. To criticize him without any reason is not fair," Akram told Sportskeeda.com.
The 57-year-old also asked the RCB franchise to conduct a thorough investigation of why they have constantly performed poorly in the IPL after 16 years. Despite Kohli's heroics, RCB is last in the IPL 2024 points standings, having won only three of their ten matches.
Wasim Akram also added that Virat Kohli is a role model for the young generation.
Akram said: "He is a role model of this generation on and off the field. Be it fitness, performance, consistency, followers, or social media, he is just incredible. He talks well; he is a natural, born leader and a match-winner."
(Sportskeeda inputs)
