Pressure of marriage affecting Virat Kohlis form: Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib
Akhtar, former Pakistan bowling great, said the pressure of marriage affected
Virat Kohli’s game. The former speedster also said that had he been in Kohli’s
place, he would not have married in the first place.

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In
an interview with Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, Akhtar said he was never in
support of giving captaincy to Kohli, who has recently been removed from ODI captaincy after he gave up T20I and Test captaincy. The batter should rather focus on his
batting and score more centuries, said Akhtar. 

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“Virat
didn’t leave captaincy but was forced to do so. This is not the best of times
for him but he needs to prove what he is made of. Is he made of steel or iron?
Virat captained for 6-7 years and I was never in favour his Captaincy, I just
wanted him to keep scoring 100, 120 runs and keep the focus on his
batting,” said Akhtar, who is currently playing Legends League Cricket in
Oman.

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Shoaib
Akhtar also said that Kohli should have focused on scoring more runs for 10-12
years rather than getting married. Kohli married Bollywood actress Anushka
Sharma on December 11, 2017.

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“I
would have not even married if I were in his place. I had just scored runs and
enjoyed cricket, these 10-12 years of cricket are different time and doesn’t
come again, I am not saying getting married is wrong but If you are playing for
India, you would have enjoyed a time a little. Fans are crazy about Kohli and
he had to maintain that love he is getting for the last 20 years,” he added.

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‘Now Kohli has to struggle’

“There
is pressure from the children, of the family. As the responsibility increases,
so does the pressure. Cricketers have a short career span of 14-15 years in
which you stay at the peak for five-six years. Those years of Virat have
passed, now he has to struggle,” Akhtar explained.

He
also said that a captain of a team should get married only after retirement.

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“As
a captain, you have to think a lot. I am not against marriage but I believe
play while playing, there shouldn’t be much pressure, play freely, pick up your
things and play fiercely. I got married when I retired from the captain. As a
Captain, you have to face the media, the brand, all the things which come with
it,” he said.