Pakistani batting great Javed Miandad has refused to compare Virat Kohli with the likes of former Indian batting legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar and has called this unfair.
Miandad said that it is not correct to compare cricketers from different eras, like his when runs were difficult to come thanks to quality bowling and a different set of rules. He also mentioned that it is difficult to find another Sunil Gavaskar or Sachin Tendulkar as they were a class apart.
“If you are talking of the streetfighter attitude, then I don’t think you can compare anyone from my era with the present generation. You cannot make another Sunny Gavaskar or Sachin Tendulkar. You can idolize someone but that won’t change an individual’s class or quality. You can’t compare players from different generations,” Miandad was quoted as saying by Telegraph.
Miandad played 124 Tests and 233 ODIs for Pakistan from 1975-1996, scoring 8832 runs an average of 52.57 in Test cricket and in ODIs he had 7381 runs at an average of 41.70. He was the first player to play in six World Cup editions and his batting average in Tests never fell below 50.
Miandad said he had to face the likes of Malcolm Marshall, Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee, and Jeff Thomson, who bowled at a brisk pace on much faster tracks.
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“Cricket was tough during my time. We had to face the likes of Malcolm Marshall, Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee, and Jeff Thomson. They bowled express pace and the wickets were more bouncy and faster. You had to adapt to different conditions and how quickly you acclimatized defined your class,” he added.
Similarly, he said that it is difficult and not correct to even compare Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, and Babar Azam. “The nature of wickets and conditions has also changed. You can’t compare a Virat or a Steve Smith or Babar Azam… All are good but there’s still some difference in quality. The ones who deliver consistently and in different conditions go on to become greats,” he further said.
WATCH- "What makes Kohli great?" Former Pakistani player compares Virat Kohli with Javed Miandad
Kohli averages over 50 in Test, ODIs, and T20Is and is also the only cricketer to feature in top 10 of ICC rankings for batsmen in all three formats and hence received praise from perhaps Pakistan’s greatest batsman ever in Miandad.
“It’s the lasting impression that a player leaves that helps him stand out. That is why people still talk about Gavaskar or Tendulkar. If you make four centuries and then four ducks, people will remember the centuries. No one can score a hundred in every innings and you have to learn from mistakes. Virat, in that respect, has been admirable,” Miandad signed off.
