The Asia Cup 2022, which gets underway for Team India with a massive clash against ach-rivals Pakistan on Sunday (August 28), will be a litmus test for former India captain Virat Kohli. It will be a landmark 100th T20 match for Kohli when he faces off against Pakistan – for the first time after T20 World Cup 2021 loss last year.


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In 99 T20I games, Kohli averages 50.12 with 3,308 runs at a strike-rate of 137.66 with 30 fifties. “I haven’t spoken to Virat Kohli recently but the ‘big guys’ always wake up at the right time. The down time for Kohli was good before the Asia Cup gave him good chance to reflect. If he manages to get a fifty in the match against Pakistan, everything will be forgotten,” former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who will be reunited with Wasim Akram in the Star Sports commentary box for ‘Shaz and Waz’ combo said.



Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram felt that it was unfair that Kohli has copped so much criticism in the recent times. “The fans and media have been criticizing Virat Kohli quite unfairly in the social media. I think he is one of the all-time greats. He is only 33 years of age and I am sure he’ll come back because he is a great player. I hope he doesn’t come back to form against Pakistan,” Akram said.


Shastri believes that leading India in all three formats of the game took a big toll on Kohli. “I recently came across a stat during India-England Test match that Kohli has played over three times the number of games as compared to his top rivals like Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root. Leading India in all three formats of the game take a heavy toll and I believe this break will be good for him,” the former India all-rounder said.


“There is no Indian cricketer who is more fitter than Kohli. He’s a machine and if he manages to get his mind right, for him it is a matter of just 1 innings to come back into form,” Shastri added.


On the inevitable comparison between Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Kohli during the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2022 clash, Akram said, “The comparison between Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli is natural. During my days it was Inzamam-ul-haq vs Sachin Tendulkar before that it was Javed Miandad vs Sunil Gavaskar. Babar is on the right track to become an all-time great but he still has a long way to go before he can be compared with Virat Kohli.”


(The LIVE coverage of India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2022 match will begin at 6pm onwards on Star Sports network on Sunday, August 28)