"I laugh when comparisons are made between him and Babar Azam, Steve Smith or Joe Root" - Former Pakistan pacer hails Virat Kohli during BGT 2024-25

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has hailed India's ace batter Virat Kohli as the greatest batter of his generation, placing him well ahead of other modern greats like Babar Azam, Steve Smith and Joe Root. Kohli, Root, Smith, and Kane Williamson have been famously called the Fab Four of this generation, with Babar joining the party over the past few years.

Yet, the Indian superstar is way ahead of the other four in batting numbers across formats. While Kohli is fourth all-time in international runs with 27,260, the other four are still outside the top 10.

Speaking on the Cricket Predicta Show, Amir said, as quoted by Indian Express:

"Virat Kohli is the greatest player of this generation. I laugh when comparisons are made between him and Babar Azam, Steve Smith or Joe Root. We cannot compare Virat Kohli to anyone because he has won so many matches for India, which seems impossible for any one player. Not just in one format, but in all three formats, Virat is the greatest batsman of this generation."

He added:

"Virat Kohli’s work ethic sets him apart from all players. After his bad phase in England in 2014, the way he made a comeback and then consistently performed brilliantly for the next 10 years was no ordinary feat. His wicket in the 2017 Champions Trophy final was very important for us, which helped us win the final. If Virat had not been dismissed, we would have lost the final because we all know how exceptional Virat’s record is while chasing runs."

Despite the stellar overall record, Kohli has endured a massive drop-off this year, especially in Tests.

The 36-year-old is averaging under 22 for India in 22 outings in 2024 with only a lone century and two half-centuries in 30 innings.

"Dismissing Sachin Tendulkar was the most special moment for me" - Mohammad Amir

A jubilant Amir after dismissing Tendulkar in the 2009 Champions Trophy [Credit: Getty]

Mohammad Amir called dismissing the legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy the best moment of his cricketing career.

Amir, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, got the better of the former Indian batter for only 8 in their lone head-to-head battle.

"Dismissing Sachin Tendulkar was the most special moment for me. I bowled to him only once in my life during the 2009 Champions Trophy, which was held in South Africa, and dismissed him while playing against India. I had seen him play cricket on TV and always used to think about how brilliant a batsman Sachin was… Bowling to Sachin Tendulkar was a big thing for me. For three days after his dismissal, I was not in my senses; I could not believe I had taken Sachin paaji’s wicket," said Amir.

He added:

"I was new to cricket and he (Sachin Tendulkar) was the kind of player who had a deep understanding of every aspect of the game. When the captain handed me the ball, my heart was pounding. I took a deep breath and bowled to him. My condition was exactly like when I met Wasim Akram for the first time."

Tendulkar's early dismissal helped Pakistan defeat India by 54 runs in that all-important encounter, which helped them qualify for the semi-final and eventually knock India out of the final four.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar remains the all-time leading run-scorer in international cricket history with 34,357 runs and 100 centuries.

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