Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf during a chat show for Geo News threw light on his first conversation with India’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli.
Rauf, who was a net bowler during India’s tour of Australia in 2018-19, delivered to the then-India captain Kohli and impressed him with his sheer pace and brutal bouncers. The 29-year-old hadn’t made his international debut at that time and was just playing club cricket in Australia.
Rauf revealed that Kohli told him: “You will be playing for Pakistan in six months.”
“And I played for Pakistan in 8-9 months,” added the Rawalpindi-born cricketer.
In the show ‘Hasna Mana Hai’, Rauf was also asked to name a wicket that he would consider a prized possession. “I cherish all my wickets, but if I have to pick one, then it has to be Virat Kohli,” Rauf added further.
When Kohli and Rauf met the second time, it was at the India-Pakistan fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Kohli smashed Rauf out of the park several times during the thrilling encounter. On one occasion, Kohli hit a six over the bowler’s head through a pull shot, leaving the MCG crowd and cricket experts shell-shocked.
Rauf also talked about Kohli’s knock in the World Cup match and was in full praise of him.
“Of course, it hurt when that went for a six. I didn’t say anything but it hurt me personally. I thought something wrong had happened. He has played that shot now. I don’t think he can do that again. Such shots are quite rare, you can’t hit them again and again. His timing was perfect and it went for a six,” Rauf said on the same show.
Kohli played one of his best T20I innings in the game as he remained unbeaten on 82 (53) and guided India to victory.
