Former Pakistani fast bowler says that Virat Kohli can never BE GREATER than Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli vs. Tendulkar has been a debate that has been raging for long, as a former fast bowler chimes in on the conversation.

Former Pakistani fast bowler says that Virat Kohli can never BE GREATER than Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar (Via X)

Virat Kohli, the star Indian batter, has ruled cricket in the last decade or so. He has been a consistent performer in all formats of the game and won matches for his team singlehandedly. He is second on the list of batters with the most international centuries to their name. Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 100 centuries, while Kohli currently has 81.

Kohli vs. Tendulkar has been a debate that has been raging for long. During the ODI World Cup 2023 semi-final against New Zealand, Kohli smashed his 50th ODI hundred to become the batter with the most ODI centuries while going past Tendulkar. However, former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar echoed on the TNKS podcast that Kohli can never become a greater player than Tendulkar, even if he breaks all his records.

YouTube video

Akhtar feels that Kohli isn’t playing the quality of bowling that Tendulkar had dominated. He further added that the current Indian maestro is a player of the T20 era with field restrictions in place and two new balls from both ends, which do not support reverse swing.

Virat is a player of the T20 era, but the era where Sachin played, the talents against whom he played hats off. Sachin was a very big name. Even Ricky Ponting was a destructive batter of his era. What do you think? Playing fast bowlers of that era was a joke? There was reverse swing also at that time.

Shoaib Akhtar said in TNKS show.

Kohli retired from the T20I format after winning the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024. He has scored 4188 runs in 117 T20I innings at an average of 48.7 with 38 half-centuries and one century. The maestro has been undoubtedly one of the greatest ever ODI batters, with 13,906 runs in 283 matches with an average of 58.18. 

Kohli has 50 centuries and 72 half-centuries in this format. Meanwhile, he has scored 9163 runs in 205 Test innings at an average of 47.72 with 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries in this format.

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Shoaib Akhtar feels that Virat Kohli is the only cricketer of the modern era who is a brand

Kohli is definitely the most popular cricketer of the modern era and one of the most in history. Akhtar also feels that he is the only cricketer in the modern era who can be termed as a ‘brand.’ Kohli is the one who is selling cricket and globalizing the sport.

Shoaib Akhtar feels that Virat Kohli is the only cricketer of the modern era who is a brand
Shoaib Akhtar feels that Virat Kohli is the only cricketer of the modern era who is a brand (Via X)

There is only one Virat Kohli who is like a brand. Who is there next to him? How will you sell cricket? Think like that. You can make anyone stand with him, but it will look forced. He has 70 [81] centuries.

Shoaib Akhtar further said

Meanwhile, Kohli is currently featuring in the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. He has already scored a hundred in this series in the first Test in Perth. If he goes on to score a century in Brisbane, he will become the third visiting batter to have a century in all five Test venues in Australia.