Virat Kohli finds another friend from Pakistan: 'Fans, press having a go at him unnecessarily'

With the barrage of criticism against ace India batter Virat Kohli nearing no end, former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has come out to support him saying a section of India's cricket fans and media was making unwanted criticism of the cricketer over his prolonged lean phase.

The 56-year-old legendary former all-rounder said Kohli's class cannot be questioned even if he is going through a dry phase with the bat. The former India captain recently completed 1,000 days without scoring a single international hundred. He has scored 70 of them and was predicted to better the record 100 tons of compatriot Sachin Tendulkar before the dry spell struck.

Speaking to Star Sports in a press conference organised ahead of Asia Cup 2022 in the United Arab Emirates kicking off on August 27, Akram said he has no doubt that the Indian will make a strong comeback from his lean patch.

Kohli had an ordinary Indian Premier League earlier this year followed by a disastrous tour of England in which he managed meagre scores across the three formats. He has also been rested for white-ball home series against South Africa and away series against the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

The 33-year-old is now set for a comeback in Asia Cup where India will launch their campaign on August 28 against arch-rivals Pakistan.

"Let me start off with from last year or so, whatever I have been seeing on social media, from Indian fans, against Virat Kohli... most of them, fans or press, or whoever they may be, having a go at him unnecessarily. He is only 33, he is one of the greatest of all time," Akram, 56, said.

"He is extraordinary. He is averaging 50-plus in all formats, he is still fit as a fiddle, he is still one of the best fielders in the Indian squad and like they say, form is temporary, class is forever. That is Virat Kohli. I am sure he will come back and score runs. I hope he doesn't come back against Pakistan, but he will make a comeback," he added.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had also spoken against the criticism against Kohli, saying a player of his stature can be allowed a few failures.

"Let's be patient, let's not rush things. We, somehow in India, hurry once a player reaches 32, 33, we all the time, look to push him out of the team when they have so much more to contribute. Let's be patient with Kohli as well. All these greats who have served Indian cricket are allowed a few failures," Gavaskar had told India Today.