Pakistan team should strive to get better than Kohli's side: Shoaib Akhtar

Pakistan is currently playing against Sri Lanka in the second Test of the two-match series and the hosts are in a dominant position to win the series

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar
Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar (Photo: @shoaib100mph)
ANI Cricket
2 min read Last Updated : Dec 23 2019 | 8:14 AM IST

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar on Sunday advised Pakistan's cricket team to follow Virat Kohli's style of leading the side and should look to create a roadmap to get better than the Indian side.

"I have seen India's team evolve. Pakistan had a forte of playing aggressive cricket, we did not use to be timid. We used to be aggressive and be up for the fight. Let's compare our skipper to India's skipper," Akhtar said on his Youtube channel.

"Both Mishabh and Azhar should come up with ways to make Pakistan's team better. The roadmap should be to get better than Virat Kohli's side," he added.

Akhtar also said that Pakistan used to be a force to be reckoned with when Imran Khan was the captain of the side. He went on to laud Kohli for inculcating a fitness freak attitude to his players.

"Virat Kohli is a fitness freak and his team completely looks up to him. If the captain is agile and sets such standards, the side will obviously follow. I believe this thing used to be there in our side when Imran Khan was the captain. He used to run ten laps around, and the team followed him," Akhtar said.

"Imran Khan was not a tactical captain, but he knew how to gather match-winners. Now India is doing the same, see Kohli's attitude. India has strict rules to ensure players' conduct both on and off the field," he added.

Pakistan is currently playing against Sri Lanka in the second Test of the two-match series and the hosts are in a dominant position to win the series.

Top four batsmen of Pakistan-- Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, and Babar Azam all went to register centuries for the side and as a result, Pakistan became only the second team whose top four batters scored centuries in a single inning.

"Pakistan needs to be fearless. In this team, you have to inculcate brotherhood, players need to look after their fitness. Pakistan is currently playing well against Sri Lanka. We need to replicate these performances," Akhtar said.

"We need to play good and fearless cricket. Our players need to be aware of the situation of the game. Pakistan needs to promote talent, especially in batting. You should not worry about the age of a player," he added.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :Pakistan cricket teamSri Lanka cricket teamIndia cricket teamVirat KohliICC World Test Championship

First Published: Dec 22 2019 | 10:10 PM IST

Next Story