"Whenever I Needed Advice...": Pakistani Batter On His Bond With Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is admired by globally for his professionalism and his work ethic.
Star India batter Virat Kohli is admired by globally for his professionalism and his work ethic. Apart from his abilities as a batter, Kohli has sparked a fitness regime in India, which is followed by every budding cricketer in the country. However, his charm isn't restricted to India. Pakistani batter Ahmed Shehzad, who has been often compared Kohli, is a huge admirer of the former India captain. Shehzad was all praise for Kohli and credited the 34-year-old for transforming the fortunes of India's Test side.
Shehzad is confident that the batting maestro will rise again, saying that Kohli's "best is yet to come".
"We share a mutual respect for each other. Whenever I need any advice regarding cricket, he has been kind (to help me out). I really respect him as a player. He has changed himself dramatically. When he burst onto the scene during the U-19 World Cup, he was a bit chubby. But the way he has transformed himself, not just from the cricketing aspect, it is commendable. He took India to new heights in Test cricket. I haven't seen someone who has adapted so quickly. I feel, his best is yet to come," Shehzad said on Nadir Ali's podcast.
During his tenure as Indian Test captain, Kohli led the team to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) world rankings and also won a series in Australia.
He also led the team to the final of the ICC World Test Championship final in Lord's in June 2021, where they lost to Kane Wiliamson-led New Zealand.
As for Shehzad, it's been a while since he last got to play for Pakistani. The batter featured for the national team in 2019 and has since been on the sidelines.
India Cricket Team
Pakistan Cricket Team
Virat Kohli
Ahmed Shehzad