'He is scoring, but one player cannot win the match' - Wasim Akram gives his take on Virat Kohli's strike-rate debate

Indian star batter Virat Kohli's strike rate has been the topic of discussion in the ongoing IPL 2024, with some experts questioning whether the shorter format of the game has moved past the need for an anchor batter. Weighing in on the debate is Pakistani legend Wasim Akram, who has come out strongly in defence of Kohli's approach.

The discussion around Kohli's strike rate began after he hit back at commentators criticizing his relatively steady starts. The former India captain explained that this approach helped him win games for 15 years. This drew sharp criticism from Sunil Gavaskar, who claimed it is a part of commentator's job to analyse what they see.

However, Akram feels the criticism of Kohli's strike rate is unfair. In his view, the real issue is Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) losing streak, not how quickly Kohli gets going.

“What criticism is he getting? That his team is losing. If the guy is scoring 100 at a 150 strike rate, isn't it fine? If the team had won, there wouldn't have been criticism. Kohli was under pressure when he was captain and is under pressure even now. He is scoring, but one player cannot win the match,” Wasim Akram told Sportskeeda.

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People say that the ground is short: Wasim Akram

The revered left-arm pacer believes RCB needs to build a more well-rounded side suited to the small boundaries at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“Some people say that the ground is short. But you know that already. Pick players according to that only. It is the same ground where I played a Test in 1987. It's the same ground now,” he added.

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Akram also offered his verdict on the role of an anchor batter in T20 cricket. With teams routinely scoring over 270 this IPL, he feels the game has changed.

“If you look at this IPL, it feels over. The way teams are scoring 270s, it looks like it. People are calling an anchor slow even when the strike rate is 150. When you look at the pitches and the performances, it looks like it. You got to hit from the first ball, you can't stop,” Akram concluded.

Though Kohli's strike-rate has drawn a lot of attention, he still sits at the top of the most run-getters in the ongoing season with 542 runs in 11 games with an average of 67.75 and a strike rate of 148.08.