"Virat Kohli can reach there" - Saba Karim on Chris Gayle's 14000-run milestone in T20 cricket
Saba Karim believes Virat Kohli can breach the 14,000-run mark achieved by Chris Gayle in T20 cricket, but added it would be a difficult challenge for the Indian skipper.
Gayle has amassed 14038 runs in the 431 T20 matches he has played. Kohli, meanwhile, has aggregated 9922 runs in 310 T20s, and trials his former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate by more than 4,000 runs.
During a discussion on India News, Saba Karim replied in the affirmative when asked if Virat Kohli could eclipse Chris Gayle's mark. He said:
"I feel Virat Kohli can reach there but for that, he will have to play a lot of T20 matches, he will have to regain the form he had one or one-and-a-half years back."
However, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman added that it would require a herculean effort from Kohli to reach the milestone. Karim elaborated:
"The biggest specialty of Chris Gayle is that he does not have to put in too much effort to post a big score. Virat Kohli has to take singles and doubles apart from the boundaries to score his runs. I feel it will take time but it will be a very difficult challenge for Virat Kohli."
Considering that Indian players are not allowed to play in T20 leagues across the globe, it will be a tall ask for Virat Kohli to overhaul Chris Gayle's tally of runs.
"Chris Gayle has a huge stature" - Reetinder Sodhi
Reflecting on Chris Gayle's knock against Australia, Reetinder Singh Sodhi highlighted that the 41-year-old continues to possess the skills he had as a youngster. The former India all-rounder said:
"He [Gayle] has a huge stature. And as it is said - form is temporary, class is permanent. I agree this is not the 22 or 24-year-old Chris Gayle but even today he has the class, the devastating hitting, the footwork and the ball sense."
Sodhi was particularly appreciative of Chris Gayle's ability to read the bowlers' minds. He observed:
"The way Gayle anticipates the ball is the same as what he used to do when he was 22-years-old. He is an example for the youth that if you have the will to perform, you can always do well in life. So, well done Chris Gayle."
Chris Gayle smoked 67 runs off just 38 deliveries to help the West Indies register a six-wicket win in the third T20I against Australia. He reached the 14000-run mark in T20 cricket during the course of the knock.