Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has backed Virat Kohli to get through tough times and bounce back as he urged the former India captain to put the captaincy saga behind and focus on his batting.
Speaking exclusively to Oman’s Sports Tak, Shoaib Akhtar, who plies his trade for the Asaia Lions in Legends League cricket, said there were “lobbies against him” and that this is why he has captained the A- resigned from the national team.
Akhtar, who is known for speaking his mind, stressed that Kohli might be angry about recent developments but his anger should be focused on delivering at bat and not snowing in bitterness. He added that Kohli needs to understand that he is a great player and that he is capable of scoring another 50 hundred at international level.
“It was a tight scenario for Virat. I was in Dubai and I realized that if he hadn’t won the T20 World Cup it would have become a big problem for him and it happened. There are lobbies against him and it There are people against him and that’s why he resigned,” Akhtar told India Today.
“Anyone who enjoys star status will always have problems, but there is nothing to fear. Anushka (Kohli’s wife) is a very nice woman and Virat is a great guy. He just needs to be brave and not afraid of anything. The whole country loves him, only these are difficult times for him and he needs to come out of it strong.”
Akhtar’s comments come after Virat Kohli resigned as India’s Test captain after a series defeat in South Africa earlier this month. Kohli’s decision to step down from the Test lead role comes weeks after he was fired as ODI captain.
Kohli raised a storm when he claimed there was a communication error between him and the BCCI over his decision to leave T20I captain in September last year. Kohli also claimed that he was informed of the selection’s decision to remove him as ODI captain just 90 minutes before a selection meeting to select India’s test team for the South Africa tour.
Notably, the BCCI had announced the decision to remove Kohli as India’s ODI captain with a one-line statement in its December 8 press release announcing the test team.
Kohli even contradicted BCCI President Sourav Ganguly’s claims that the latter had urged him not to step down as T20I captain while addressing a fiery press conference before Team India left for South Africa in December.
India Today reported on it earlier this week Ganguly wanted to issue a show-cause notice to Kohli to clarify the comments he made in the explosive press conference.
Virat Kohli finished the test captain in January 2022 (AP Photo)
KOHLI SHOULD FORGET AND FORGIVE PEOPLE: AKHTAR
Meanwhile, Akhtar added that Kohli needs to work hard and focus all his energy on doing well with the racquet for India.
“Now that it’s happened he has to work hard and not work too hard. Keep it simple and just play his regular cricket. Captainship is not an easy job – you have to deal with many things and there is a lot of tension that comes with the job.
“Now that he’s off the hook, all he has to do is make sure he’s enjoying his cricket. He’s great and he should know that. He just needs to increase his value. He should know that he cannot be imprisoned by his own bitterness. Let him forget and forgive and become an even better person.” Akhtar added.
“If he can perform well in the next five to six months, he’ll be glad he gave up the captaincy and tell himself he can do 120 international hundreds.
“His next 50 centuries will be because of the anger he has now. And that anger doesn’t need to be reflected in people, but in his hitting,” Akhtar added.
Virat Kohli started a new chapter in his career by hitting a fifty in his first game as non-captain of India for the first time in more than 5 years. His fifty ended in vain as India lost the opener of the ODI series to South Africa in Paarl.
Kohli was dismissed for 0 in the 2nd ODI, prompting questions about his body language in South Africa.
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