Virat Kohli has set fitness bar for players worldwide, says Waqar Younis

Former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis on Monday praised Indian skipper Virat Kohli, saying he has set the fitness bar for the players worldwide.

Kohli is regarded as one of the fittest cricketers of his generation. He follows a strict diet and is very consistent with his workout. Even in the coronavirus enforced lockdown, he followed his fitness regime and shared workout videos on social media platforms.

Besides his fitness, the player fits in each format of the game and has evolved his skills since introduction to the international circuit. Virat and Younis was speaking exclusively to GloFans in a chat show 'Q20' on Twitter.

"Virat Kohli has evolved the game and all the formats of the modern-day cricket including T20 cricket, one day suits him a lot and he is brilliant at test matches. But the biggest difference he brought to cricket that is followed and watched worldwide is his fitness. He has set a bar of fitness worldwide for players," Younis said responding to a fan's question on 'Q20'.

"I think it is hard to beat. I think for that reason also, you like everything about Virat Kohli. He is fit, he is always in your face, he wants to prove you that he is the best, he is a fighter, so that is why, we all like him," he added.

Younis further praised India's performance against Pakistan in the World Cup games and ODI cricket.

"Over the last few World Cups, Pakistan have not won against India. We did well in other formats, we did well in Test matches, but when it comes to World Cups and ODI Cricket, India has always had an upper hand on us. And they deserve it. I think they played better cricket than us," he commented while answering to another fan question.

Younis further recalled World Cup matches in which he played against India and Pakistan failed to overpower the Men in Blue. The arch-rival Pakistan has never won against India in their seven meetings in the ICC ODI World Cup so far.

"I remember in Bangalore and back in I think that was in Pretoria in 2003. I remember most of them and I think I have played a couple of them. So they were a very good side and I think on that particular day they just came out with a very positive frame of mind, they played better cricket and played smartly. We did not play smartly; we had games in our hands," the veteran of 262 ODIs and 87 Tests said.

Younis bagged 789 wickets in his 15-year-long illustrious career and is the eighth highest wicket-taker in the international cricket.

"If you look at the World Cup in 2011 and then of course back in '96 also we had the game in our hand, but it is just, we... we just threw it away. It is hard to pinpoint why we do that, maybe, it's just the pressure of the World Cup now because it happens so many times, it is just the psychological pressure on us that we just cannot really win against them but yeah, it's very very difficult to pinpoint on one thing," Waqar concluded. 

-ANI

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