Shoaib Akhtar hailed India’s batting superstar Virat Kohli for his batting supremacy but mentioned that he would have faced difficulties facing Wasim Akram if he were playing in a previous era.

Akhtar, the former Pakistani fast-bowling great, is currently in the UAE for the second season of the ILT20, where he serves as a brand ambassador and commentator. Speaking on the sidelines of the ILT20, Akhtar described Kohli as the best batter of the modern era.

However, Shoaib said that if Kohli played during his playing days, he might have faced challenges, but he believes the former Indian skipper would have managed to score the runs he has accumulated in his international career so far.

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Shoaib Akhtar was quoted as saying by ANI: “Back then, Sachin 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.”

He continued, “Wasim Akram and Shane Warne too. 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.”

The former Pakistani pacer further expressed his wish for Kohli to reach a century of international centuries.

Akhtar signed off by saying, “Virat is Virat. He is the greatest batter of this era. Both eras cannot be compared. Hats off to him. I want him to get a hundred centuries.”

(With ANI Inputs)