‘Sachin would have made…’ – Pakistan great compares challenges faced by Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in their respective eras 

Virat Kohli has proven time and again that he is one of the greatest cricketers of all time through his consistent dominance on the field. The former Indian captain undoubtedly tops the charts of the best batters in the world at present. However, his achievements and heroics not only limit him to be compared to his current rivals but also to the legends who have left a lasting legacy in the history of the game.

Comparing two players from different eras is not advisable as the challenges, rules, and conditions will be completely different to make a proper assessment. Kohli and batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar hail from two different eras but are often compared as the former has made a habit of breaking his idol’s records.

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar is the latest person to make a comparison between the two greats of the game. The legendary pacer said that Tendulkar would have scored a lot of runs if he had batted in the current era as the rules and conditions have changed. Akhtar pointed out that Kohli is not facing as much challenge as his competitor faced during the olden days.

“Back then, Sachin was playing with one ball, which would reverse swing against some of the best bowlers in the world. There was only one circle. Today, Sachin would have made a lot of runs,” the right-arm seamer was quoted saying when speaking to ANI.

“Virat would have been competitive (in our era). He could have faced difficulties, but he would have scored the runs he has scored now. We would have faced a similar beating. But playing Wasim Akram is not easy. Virat is Virat,” Akhtar added.

Tendulkar, who hung his boots in 2013, had scored over 34000 runs in international cricket with the help of 100 centuries. Meanwhile, during the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final match against New Zealand, Kohli became the first player to claim 50 ODI hundreds, surpassing Tendulkar’s 49 tons. The 35-year-old also broke Tendulkar’s record for most runs in a single World Cup edition.