Kohli vs Gavaskar Row: Wasim Akram Reacts, 'Virat Isn't That Kind of a Person, He Shouldn't Have...'

The debate around Virat Kohli’s strike rate seems to have gripped the Indian Premier League (IPL) with several experts expressing their thoughts on the same. The ace batter recently reacted about what ‘people inside the box’ think about his batting only to get a harsh reply from legendary Sunil Gavaskar. The Indian batting great took a shot at Kohli, questioning why the batter was bothered by the ‘noise’ if he claims it don’t affect him. Gavaskar further added that commentators have earned their right to question or pass verdicts of whatever they see.

The war of words between the two caused a massive uproar on social media where the Kohli fans began attacking Gavaskar with sly comments. Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has expressed his opinion on the ongoing episode.

Speaking with Sportskeeda, Akram sided with Gavaskar and opined that Kohli should have refrained from saying what he did.

“Both are greats. Sunny bhai, as a cricketer, as a human being, I know him off the field. As a commentator, he has been doing it for God knows how many years, probably for more than two and a half decades. And coming to the great man, Virat Kohli, he is a top player, a modern great. In fact, he is an all-time great in history, given the kind of performances he has had. But, I think Virat shouldn’t have said it,” Akram told SportsKeeda.

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“It is the commentators’ job. If he got slow in a couple of matches and he [Gavaskar] said something, forget about it. Virat is not that kind of a person. Both are proud Indians; both are greats. It’s OK; they both will move in pretty quickly. Don’t think either will take it personally. They will be fine, I know. I am telling you now. I know them both very well,” he added.

Despite the ongoing talks about his strike rate, Kohli continues to lead the Orange Cap table with 542 runs in 11 matches, with 4 fifties and a century. It’s his second season in a row when he breached the 500-run mark; something that he achieved for the first time since 2016.