Former England pacer Steve Harmison has stirred the cricket world by declaring Virat Kohli the greatest cricketer of the last three decades, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli, who turns 37 next month, is preparing for his comeback after seven months when India face Australia in a three-match ODI series.
According to Harmison, Kohli’s era has been far more demanding both on and off the field compared to Tendulkar’s. The former England star praised Kohli’s ability to handle modern pressures while maintaining elite performance levels. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kohli overtook Tendulkar’s 49 ODI centuries, reaching 51 and leading the all-time chart. With 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an average of 57.88, Kohli’s numbers back his dominance.
“I put Virat Kohli at number one over Sachin Tendulkar, and that would raise a lot of eyebrows. But I thought his career, and what he had to do in his career, was I thought the way the game changed over the course of this last ten years, Virat’s had to have deal with a hell of a lot more off the field stuff that would affect him on the field. I think for me, in the last 20-30 years, the greatest cricketer that has played the game, you take Shane Warne out, because he had come a lot before, I think it’s Virat Kohli,” Harmison said on talkSPORT Cricket.
Harmison Defends Kohli and Rohit’s Domestic Absence
Harmison also addressed BCCI selector Ajit Agarkar’s recent remarks urging senior players to participate in domestic cricket. He defended Kohli and Rohit Sharma, emphasizing that their packed international schedules leave no room for local matches.
“We’ve got to remember, these guys haven’t played since 2013 and 2018 respectively, because they have been playing non-stop India. The amount of cricket they play, you look at Virat’s career numbers, he made his debut in 2008-2009. The reason why they haven’t played since then is that they have been constantly on the road with India,” he said.
Harmison Warns Ajit Agarkar Against Targeting Kohli
Harmison also warned Agarkar against confronting Kohli over domestic appearances, suggesting it could backfire badly.
“If Agarkar’s looking for a fight, he might get one but he’s not going to win unfortunately. This is not going the distance. This could be a heavy knock out in the first round if he tries to go in especially without Virat,” Harmison remarked.
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