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When Virat Kohli Revealed He Was Better Off Not Facing Shoaib Akhtar During His Career 

image-lrd3vnwnVirat Kohli [X.com]

Virat Kohli's famous 2017 interview with friend and host Gaurav Kapur on 'Breakfast With Champions' is remembered fondly for the cricketer's unabashed attitude and innate Punjabi humour. 

In various parts of a freewheeling chat with Kapur, Kohli unveiled the lighter side of him, away from the aggressive and animated avatar he dons on the cricket field for opposition teams with the bat in hand.

At one stage, Kohli spoke of the two toughest fast-bowlers he has faced at the international stage and came up with Pakistani names - the uniquely built Mohammad Irfan, for his abnormally tall stature, and the famous 'Rawalpindi Express' Shoaib Akhtar for sheer speed and hostility. 

When Kohli Spoke Of Shoaib Akhtar 

Speaking of Akhtar, the former Pakistan speed merchant, Kohli recalled the experience of watching the express quick at the fag end of his career back at the 2010 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. He was nudging close to his sunset but Akhtar could still unleash fire against opposition batters. 

Kohli, who got out early in the group stage encounter played in Dambulla, was watching Akhtar bowl from the Indian dressing room and he thought to himself the right-arm pacer would've been some force to encounter in his heyday. 

"I never faced Shoaib Akhtar but I have seen him in a game in Dambulla against Pakistan," Kohli said during the interview. "I got out (early) and couldn't face him. But I saw him bowl and he looked even at the latter stages of his career, he looked very lethal."

"Toh woh dekh ke mujhe laga yaar jab ye peak pe bowling karte honge toh esa hi lagta hoga ki dusre end pe hi raho (so watching him I thought, man.. when he would've been bowling at his peak, batters would've felt they better stay at the other end)."

Kohli's bits on Pakistan fast-bowlers had gone viral in the neighbourhood and created a greater fanbase for the Indian legend across the border, where they continue to admire his greatness with the bat and his ability to meet the opposition eye-to-eye.