Virat Kohli Alone Is 'Equal' To 11 Players: Saqlain Mushtaq

Virat Kohli buried the ghost of 2014 in England and recorded his finest run in the country in 2018. He batted with impeccable consistency as he notched up 894 runs across format in that tour. England knew Virat Kohli was the most important wicket to get and their spin consultant Saqlain Mushtaq prepared the side well in advance to take up the challenge.

After taking on the Test captaincy from MS Dhoni in 2014, Kohli has matured as a player. The captaincy has done wonders for him as he has looked to be in fluent touch and broke records for fun on the international circuit.

Virat Kohli ek nahi, yeh gyarah hain: Saqlain Mushtaq on preparing England players

Saqlain Mushtaq was wary of the Virat Kohli threat. He prepared the spin twins of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid well in advance to face him. He would often tell them, Virat Kohli alone is equal to 11 players in the team. Adding, one has to keep their mind clean before bowling to a world class player like Kohli.

“Yeh ek nahin, yeh gyarah hai (he is equal to 11 players). I would just tell them Virat’s wicket is like bowling out the entire Indian team. He is like XI players in one, you have to see him like that,” the 43-year-old said in an Instagram Live with Nikhil Naz.

“As a bowler you have to be clear in your mind. Yes, you have a world class player who is at the top of his game and does not face any issue against any type of spinner, be it left-arm, offie or a leggie.”

“But I would tell them the pressure is more on him not you, as the whole world is watching him. You have to be clear in your mind,” he added.

Ali and Rashid have dismissed Kohli for six times each since then.