A Debate: is Virat Kohli better than legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar
A Debate: is Virat Kohli better than legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar
Notwithstanding Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli debate continuing to gain steam, former Pakistan bowler wakes up and comes with a big statement.
If Sachin Tendulkar was the flagbearer of Indian cricket in the 1990s and 2000s, Virat Kohli is their quintessential superstar today. Kohli is a modern-day super hero, his legacy extends way beyond his status or records as a batter. He is an inspiration to the world, millions of youngsters look up to him. His discipline over the years in turn has gone a long way into making him a champion that he is today. This is a super rare trait to have but one that is seen once in a generation and has propelled him to greatness.
With 75 international centuries, he is next only to the legendary Tendulkar in terms of centuries and by the time he finishes, Kohli would have easily surpassed some of the records held by his former India teammate.
There is a debate who’s the better batsmen between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
In a stats-obsessed nation, comparison of players from different areas, it inevitably makes it more difficult.
There are many people who have attempted to draw parallels between Tendulkar and Kohli. While sum of them have emerged with valid points, however, the former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has credited Sachin the edge over Virat and termed him the GOAT based on the quality of the bowling attacks faced by the former India cricketer.
If no exaggeration there is no batsman like Sachin Tendulkar. Virat may be termed as a legend of today’s era but, Sachin has faced extremely difficult and dangerous bowlers.
Kohli hasn’t faced Pak fast bowlers whereas Sachin has faced bowlers like Walsh, Ambrose, dangerous West Indies pace-bowlers McGrath,Shane Warne, Muralitharan. These were big names and they were all very clever bowlers. They knew how to trap you. Today there are two types of bowlers, one who stops you, and another who will trap you. Those guys knew how to do them both especially trap batters,” revealed Saqlain on the Nadir Ali Show.
It’s not easy to argue with the Pakistan legend’s assessment. Having said that it is not Kohli’s fault that he has reached his peak in an era where there are two new balls being bowled simultaneously in ODIs with five fielders allowed outside the circle in the last Powerplay.
Whereas, Sachin has faced most legendary and fast
bowlers, the type of which is yet to be seen, his batting against Akram, McGrath, Allan Donald, Warne etc has been the stuff of blockbusters. But, but isnt like the bowlers Kohli faces give him a walkover. James Anderson, Dale Steyn, Pat Cummins, Trent Boult, Shaheen Afridi, Nathan Lyon, Adil Rashid, Kagiso Rabada do not exactly serve dollies to Kohli either.
Kohli has often been compared to Pakistan captain Babar Azam, altogether another debate. Babar is six years younger to Kohli, and made his international debut when Kohli had already become a bonafide star.
Going by Babar’s performances, he could and should reached Kohli’s level in another 5-6 years’ time. Until then, all the noise surrounding the Babar vs Kohli debate makes less sense. Saqlain feels the same and although he reckons that Babar has a long way to go to be compared to Kohli. He did give the Pakistan batsman a bit of an advantage over Virat.
“Kohli and Babar are different players but both have their own class. But if you look at the beauty, perfection or technical aspects, Babar’s cover drives are much better,” mentioned the legendary Pakistan bowler.
News Input K.V.Raman
