Shoaib Akhtar has voiced his admiration for Virat Kohli's talent. Speaking on an ESPNCricinfo podcast, the former Pakistani pacer mentioned that Kohli likely would have loved the challenge of facing legends such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shane Warne. Recognizing Kohli's skill in handling top-tier bowling, Akhtar felt that testing himself against those three would have been a highlight of the batsman's career.
Akhtar believes their common Punjabi roots would have created a strong bond between them outside of cricket, asserting that they would have been great friends regardless of the age difference. He praised Kohli's emotional intelligence and expressed his genuine respect for him. That said, Akhtar joked that they would have been 'best enemies' during a match, as he would have pushed Kohli to his limits with a relentless bowling attack.
The Pakistani bowling legend retired from all forms of the game in 2011. Throughout his career, Akhtar established himself as a force to be reckoned with, claiming 178 wickets in 46 Test matches, 163 wickets in ODIs, and taking 19 wickets across 15 T20 internationals.