IND vs PAK 2022: “He is taking a lot of pressure, so he is out of form”- Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar feels Rohit Sharma is stuck as a captain

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar feels that India skipper Rohit Sharma is taking a lot of pressure, which is the prime reason behind his lean patch. He said in-form Hardik Pandya would be a perfect replacement for Rohit as the Gujarat Titans IPL-winning captain has emerged as a strong contender for the role.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Akhtar said:

“I think Rohit Sharma is stuck as a captain. He doesn’t seem to be enjoying it, and he is taking a lot of pressure, so he is out of form.”

Rohit has, so far, scored 323 runs in 15 matches at an average of 23.07 this year, which includes a half-century in the recently concluded tour of the West Indies.

Akhtar added:

“Hardik Pandya is a significant factor after he recovered from a back injury. He guided his team [Gujarat Titans] to IPL 2022 trophy as captain, and he is a powerful contender to be captain for T20I.”

Meanwhile, Akhtar also backed Virat Kohli to complete 100 centuries for India. The senior batter has been stuck on 70 centuries since November 2019.

“My only suggestion to Kohli is to wait until the T20 World Cup if this format suits you or doesn't suit you because you have to score 30 more centuries.

"You can become the greatest player forever, and you must convince yourself that you are the greatest. It will be the toughest 30 centuries -- if he scores, he will get time to settle when he plays to the longest formats.

He added:

“Virat Kohli hasn't been middling the ball well. Both his innings were quite patchy, but he scored 59. Here, he is trying but the time is less. You have to maintain a reasonable strike rate and ensure the team wins.

"He is a great player, and I really want him to score 100 centuries and break Sachin Tendulkar's record. It looks impossible right now, but this man can do it.”

“Why are these matches taking place in Dubai?”- Shoaib Akhtar unhappy with neutral venue for India vs Pakistan

Akhtar also questioned the neutral venue for the India and Pakistan matches. He feels that the games should be played in the two countries, not outside, especially when 2.5 billion people are involved.

“Why are these matches in Dubai and not Delhi, Chandigarh or Lahore? It would have been a jam-packed stadium. Doing trade is very important, and it's the first step we need to take.

"May Pakistan beat India ruthlessly; if we don’t, do not lose hope. Captaincy and batting order needs to be aggressive. 2.5 billion will watch the match from Dubai. Think about it.”

The Pakistani legend added that the two countries need to end their tensions and unite to thrive.

“The world is far ahead of us [In terms of medical advancement while suggesting knee treatment for Shaheen Afridi in countries like the US, Australia, England and Germany]. India and Pakistan are stuck in matches and get happier by winning games.

"The world is busy trading and making money. A lot of research is being done, and we are only discussing the same topic for the last 75 years and trying to prove who is better. I don’t know when it will end, and we’ll get a sense, overcome our differences and thrive.”

India beat Pakistan in a tense Asia Cup group match last Sunday.