India skipper Virat Kohli is special since he follows his own process religiously even under pressure, not resorting to any shot which is not his strength, said Afghanistan leg-spinner, Rashid Khan.
Khan, who represents SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL), also called Rohit Sharma one of the most naturally gifted batsmen who has a lot of time on his hands.
“If there is any other batsman, he will come under pressure if you bowl well to him. He will play a shot that is not his strength like a sweep, a slog sweep, or any other different stroke. [But] Virat will follow his own process. He goes with his mind,” said Khan.
“He has his own style and he goes with that. He doesn’t do anything different. I think that is why he is very successful. He has a process. He will respect good balls. He will punish loose balls. He has great self-belief. Some batsmen don’t have self-belief. That is why they struggle. He believes in his own strength,” added Khan on a Youtube channel of Pakistani sports journalist, Sawera Pasha.
The 22-year-old leg-spinner acknowledged Sharma as one of the best when it comes to playing pull shots.
“I agree he has more time. He has got a lot of time. I have seen very few players who have a lot of time. It is natural for some players to have more time. The way he pulls even if it is 145 or 150 kmph, the way he hits, it seems the ball is 125 or 130 kmph. He has got great time. He doesn’t hit too many powerful shots. He believes in his timing,” said Khan.
Terming West Indies as the toughest to bowl to, he also acknowledged India’s all-rounder and hard-hitter Hardik Pandya.
“West Indies batsmen are the most dangerous. They don’t see a good or a bad ball. If he (a West Indies batsman) is in a mood to hit, his shot from the bottom of the bat will also go for a six. He can hit six anywhere. Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, and [India’s] Hardik Pandya, have great power and if you are on a flat wicket against them, then it is very tough,” said Khan further.
“Pandya doesn’t look like he can hit long but he does hit long,” added Khan.
