India’s premier batsman Virat Kohli is currently participating in the three-match ODI series against Australia. In the second ODI, Kohli top-scored with 31 runs off 35 balls as India suffered a crushing 10-wicket defeat at the hands of the Steve Smith-led Australian side, who levelled the series 1-1. The final match of the series will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 22.
Ahead of the crucial match, former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has offered some valuable advice to Kohli. According to Akhtar, Kohli should prioritize playing only two of the oldest formats in international cricket. He feels playing too much T20 cricket drains his energy. Additionally, Akhtar has expressed his confidence that Kohli will break Sachin Tendulkar’s world record for most centuries in international cricket.
Kohli should quit T20 format and focus on other formats
“As a cricketer, if you ask me, I feel he should stick with only Test and ODI formats. T20I unki energy bahot nikaal deta hai (T20I format drains a lot of his energy). He is a very excited kind of character,” Akhtar told Sports Tak.
“He wants to be out there, he wants to look good and wants to have a good time in T20Is. And he likes it. But at times, he needs to save his body. How old is he right now? 34 right? Easily he can play for about 6 to 8 years. If he plays 30-50 more Test matches, I’m sure it won’t be difficult for him to score 25 centuries in those Test matches,” he added.
It is worth mentioning that Kohli put an end to his dry spell of Test centuries in the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The team led by Rohit Sharma won the trophy by winning the series 2-1 and secured a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.
