"Virat Kohli is The Greatest Player Of All Time," says Shoaib Akhtar

Former India captain Virat Kohli has been going through a tough time in recent times as a batter. He has not scored an international hundred since November 2019 and has also struggled to contribute runs consistently in the recently concluded IPL 2022.

While playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Virat Kohli scored 341 runs in 16 matches which came at an average of 22.73. He scored two fifties but failed to take his team into the IPL final as they lost in the Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals (RR). While there have been mixed reactions to his form, several former cricketers have slammed him after his recent array of poor scores.

However, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has backed Virat Kohli and stated that the premier Indian batter has the ability to notch 110 centuries.

"You say good things about Virat Kohli. Give him respect. Why do you not give Virat Kohli respect? As a Pakistani, I am saying he is the greatest player of all time. I can bet that he will score 110 centuries," Akhtar said in an interview with Sportskeeda Cricket.

Akhtar further added, "Don't get afraid, and you have to play till the age of 45. The current situation is preparing you to hit 110 centuries. People are writing you off; they are tweeting against you. You put out a post on Diwali, you are criticised. They tweet about your wife, your kid. Nothing can be worse than this. Nature is preparing you to score 110 tons. So, keep my words in mind and start slogging it out from today itself."

However, Virat Kohli had hit a purple patch between 2015 and 2019, scoring centuries with ease across formats and guiding the team to higher heights. But things have started taking a u-turn since the pandemic, and Indian cricket fans would hope that the Rawalpindi Express's words come true.

Meanwhile, in a video message, the 46-year-old has also praised batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar for ensuring he doesn’t hurt anyone with his statements. He also asked other critics to learn from Tendulkar as well. 

“Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest and humble guy ever. I really adore him when it comes to his behavior and nature. He is always thoughtful about what he says and respects other cricketers. People should learn from Sachin Tendulkar. Despite being such a great cricketer, he doesn’t tweet or say anything that can hurt anyone. Similarly, other former cricketers should give mature statements.” Akhtar concluded.