Virat Kohli is the best batsman across all three formats, feels Junaid Khan

Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan believes that Indian skipper Virat Kohli is the best batsman in the world across all three formats.

Virat Kohli has shown unbelievable consistency in all three formats throughout his career and that is why Junaid Khan believes that Virat Kohli is better than the likes of Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, Babar Azam, etc.

“No doubt Kohli is the best batsman in all three formats. If you ask anyone, they’d say that guys like Babar Azam, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith are the best batsmen of the generation, but the best of the lot is Kohli because he’s performed outstandingly in all three formats,” Junaid Khan said on Cricingif show on YouTube.

Junaid Khan recalled getting Virat Kohli out thrice in a series

Junaid Khan talks about the India series in 2012 when he dismissed Virat Kohli three times in as many games. #Statschat pic.twitter.com/H3bKN1sjpi

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 25, 2020

The last time both India and Pakistan were involved in a bilateral series was back in 2012 when Pakistan had toured India for a two-match T20I series and a three-match ODI series. Junaid Khan was a regular in Pakistan's red-ball outfit then but was still to cement a place in Pakistan's ODI side.

Junaid Khan grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he picked up 8 wickets in the three ODIs and got Virat Kohli out three times in the series.

Out of the 24 balls that Junaid Khan bowled to Virat Kohli, he could only score three runs. Junaid Khan recalled how he bowled to Virat Kohli during that series.

“The first ball I bowled to him was a wide but the next ball when I beat him, I thought ‘well, he’s just a normal batsman’. Virat jokingly told me ahead of the series that these are Indian pitches and that balls won’t move much here. I said ‘we’ll see, because I have plenty of momentum with me as well,” Junaid Khan said.

After a fantastic performance in the ODI series, Junaid Khan went on to cement his place in the Pakistan side across all three formats and was a mainstay in the playing eleven for the next few years.