Wouldn't have married if I was Kohli, says Shoaib Akhtar on former skipper's poor run

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made a controversial statement on Virat Kohli. The pacer said that Kohli should have concentrated just on his batting and shattering records for another few years before getting married, adding that he wouldn't have got hitched if he was at Kohli's place.

"I would have not even married if I were in his place. I had just scored runs and enjoyed cricket, these 10-12 years of cricket are different time and doesn't come again, I am not saying getting married is wrong but If you are playing for India, you would have enjoyed a time a little. fans are crazy about Kohli and he had to maintain that love he is getting for the last 20 years," Akhtar said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Akhtar felt that having a wife and children adds to the pressure which can affect a player's game. " There is pressure from the children, of the family. As the responsibility increases, so does the pressure. Cricketers have a short career span of 14-15 years in which you stay at the peak for five-six years. Those years of Virat have passed, now he has to struggle," he elaborated.

Akhtar believes that a person should only get married after retiring from the captaincy role. "As a captain, you have to think a lot. I am not against marriage but I believe play while playing, there shouldn't be much pressure, play freely, pick up your things and play fiercely. I got married when I retired from the captain. As a Captain, you have to face the media, the brand, all the things which come with it," he said.

The Rawalpindi Express also said he was never in favour of Virat Kohli becoming the Indian captain and wanted him to only focus on scoring centuries "Virat didn't leave captaincy but was forced to do so. This is not the best of times for him but he needs to prove what he is made of. Is he made of steel or iron? Virat captained for 6-7 years and I was never in favour his Captaincy, I just wanted him to keep scoring 100, 120 runs and keep the focus on his batting," said Akhtar who is presently part of the ongoing Legends League Cricket.