Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has on Sunday (May 10) picked Rohit Sharma over Virat Kohli as the most enthralling batsman to watch out in the white-ball cricket.
Kaif said, if he had an option, he would love to watch Rohit bat over Kohli, India captain and one of the cricket’s brilliant batters, in white-ball cricket, however, said Kohli is on another level across formats. He also hailed the two Indian batting stars as the exceptional batters who have long careers ahead of them.
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Kaif said on Sportscreen’s YouTube page: “If you ask me, I will love to watch Rohit Sharma bat. Just to watch. Both have long careers ahead of them and both are exceptional batters. Virat Kohli is on another level. His record in Test matches is amazing. He is brilliant in ODIs and T20s too. But if I have the option, I would love to watch Rohit Sharma bat (in white-ball cricket).”
He further added, “He has the elegance. He always has a lot of time at the crease. He never seems to be in a rush. He bats with ease. When he times the ball, it travels so fast. There are few batsmen who take you to the cleaners but you don’t get to realize that he is putting in a lot of effort,”
Meanwhile, the 39-year old has picked MS Dhoni as the fastest runner between the wickets in world cricket even today, saying his speed amazed him during his playing day with the former captain.
He further explained, “I have seen Dhoni run between the wickets with me also. He has tremendous speed. I still consider him the fastest runner between the wickets in world cricket. The guy doesn’t go to the gym. He eats butter chicken. He loves biryani. Still, he has so much speed. It’s unbelievable. I used to think I am the fittest. But he has natural fitness.”
The former international also recalled how Dhoni’s run out while batting with him on the keeper’s ODI debut against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2004 prompted then skipper Sourav Ganguly to push him up the order against Pakistan in 2005 in Visakhapatnam, where the dashing Ranchi cricketer smashed 148.
He joked, “Dhoni got run out on debut and then he did not get good scores. Now at No.6, No.7 you don’t get a lot of chances to bat. So Ganguly promoted him up the order against Pakistan in the Vizag ODI. So, I also have a hand in his rise,”
Kaif signed off by hailing South Africa ace AB de Villiers as a “brilliant fielder. I have played with him for RCB in 2011-12 and he is a live wire. His training is top quality too.”
(With IANS Inputs)
