IPL 2016: If I had to bowl to Virat Kohli I would be worried, claims Wasim Akram

It seems that Indian batting sensation Virat Kohli has added one more eminent name to his long list of admirers. One of the best fast bowlers of all-time, the legendary Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram, recently admitted that he would be worried if he had to bowl to the Indian batting superstar.

The ‘Sultan of Swing’, who has 916 international wickets in his kitty, was a threat to most of the batsmen in his playing days and is widely regarded as one of the best left-arm seamers to have played the game. But after seeing the current exploits of the Indian Test skipper Kohli, the legend feels that it’s a big challenge to get rid of the talented right-hander.

Kohli is in the form of his life and in 2016 he has taken the definition of consistency to a different level altogether. In IPL 2016, the Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper has amassed 919 runs at an astounding average of 83.54. Kohli has also scored 4 centuries in the IPL and he has shattered many T20 records with his exemplary performances, and is all set to play his first IPL final on Sunday.

Talking about Kohli, Wasim Akram said, “Belief, his ability and on top of that his technique. We haven't seen him play the reverse shot or the lap shot, he always plays proper cricketing shots with the full face of the bat. That's why he has been very consistent and as a bowler if I had to bowl at him, I will be worried. It's like in ODI cricket when Sachin Tendulkar opened the innings, it was very difficult to bowl at him because Sachin as a batsman and Kohli as a batsman will hardly give you a chance to get them out.”

Kohli, whose strike rate in the IPL is 151.90 , has hit 36 sixes in the tournament so far. Sticking to his basics, Kohli remodelled his game to perfection and his ability to play risk-free cricket has really put him way above the others in terms of consistent performances. He was phenomenal in the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 where he almost single-handedly guided India to the semifinal which they eventually lost to eventual champions West Indies.

Talking about Kohli’s six-hitting prowess in the ongoing IPL 2016, Akram pointed out, “Kohli has scored 36 sixes in this IPL ... they are lot of sixes. In my cricketing career, I have 50 plus sixes and those days sixes were rare. So, you can imagine he is powerful, he is strong and he can hit the ball miles outside the stadium. He has been a treat to watch.”

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers are the best in the world: Akram

Kohli’s RCB teammate AB de Villiers has also impressed the legendary pacer. De Villiers, who played the match-winning knock in the first qualifier to propel RCB into the IPL final, earned praise from Akram for his sheer ability to win matches regardless of the situation.

However, Akram, who was part of coaching staff for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, didn’t want to compare the two modern greats. He pointed out, "Very difficult to compare both of them. They have different techniques, they are different players but are very consistent and match-winners. Not just in this format but in all the formats. That's why these guys are the best in the world,"