Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raza believes that Team India captain Virat Kohli has the same leadership qualities as Imran Khan had, with similar attacking mindset while entering the field. “For them, it is always clear: either win or lose; there has been no room for a draw,” he said in an exclusive interview with India News. Comparing the current Pakistani squad to the 1992 World Cup-winning team, Raza said that the current one needs a leader like Imran, “someone who has the hunger to win, a vision to be a champion and to be better”.
These qualities, the former Pakistani player emphasised, could be seen in Kohli and that explained the good performance of the Indian side. According to him the 1992 Pakistani squad was not that strong. “We then lacked on various aspects but we were enthusiastic, focused and had a positive mindset with hunger to win,” Raza said, emphasising that the current squad doesn’t have leaders like Khan or Kohli, “someone who can lead the team and encourage them”. He further said that the Pakistani administration also needed to focus on “a few things” that would help the team to do well.
“The (Pakistan cricket) board needs to focus on new players. It needs to focus on the lower-tier cricket more, to have better players to pick from,” he added. Raza also praised the BCCI for being focused on the growth of Indian cricket and players. Team India traditionally had good battling line up; now the bowling line up too have improved, he said. “This evolution in the Indian team came due to a better administration and management from the Indian cricket board, something that the Pakistan Cricket board should keep in mind,” he signed off.