Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should bring India to play a Test series in Pakistan, says former Pakistan international Kamran Akmal.
Kohli and Sharma have already retired from T20Is and though Kohli did tour Pakistan once with India under-19s, he has never played a Test across the border.
EXCLUSIVE ✍️
‘Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should visit Pakistan 🇵🇰 before retirement’
Says Kamran Akmal
READ: HTTPS://T.CO/WEOSUPSASR#VIRATKOHLI #ROHITSHARMA @IMVKOHLI @IMRO45 @KAMIAKMAL23 #INDVPAK #INDVSPAK
— TOI Sports (@toisports) AUGUST 28, 2024
The last series between India and Pakistan took place in 2012/13 and their only meetings since have come in ICC competitions or the Asia Cup.
The former wicketkeeper-batsman Akmal says frosty relations between the neighbours could be thawed by Kohli and Sharma leading a touring party – and said they might even be more popular in his home country than Pakistan’s own stars.
He told the Times of India: “Virat and Rohit should visit Pakistan before they retire. These two are stars of world cricket, travelling across the globe to play the game.
“The fan following they will experience in Pakistan will surpass anything they have seen elsewhere.
“Virat is a role model for many around the world, Rohit is the World Cup-winning captain, and Jasprit Bumrah is currently the best pacer in the world. When players like that visit Pakistan it will evoke unique feelings in every fan.
“If Virat visits Pakistan now he will truly see his popularity. He will receive a different kind of support in Pakistan. No cricketer is more popular than Virat in Pakistan – Pakistani fans love Virat, Rohit and Bumrah more than any of their own players.”
India will take on Bangladesh in a two-match test series, starting in Chennai on September 19 and ending in Kanpur from September 27.
