'Virat Kohli's career picked off due to MS Dhoni', says Ahmed Shehzad; blames former Pakistan cricketers for career decline

Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad, who was once compared with former India captain Virat Kohli for his similar looks and batting style, has expressed that Kohli's career took off due to amazing support by MS Dhoni. Shehzad also claimed that in Pakistan former cricketers can not digest the success of other players. 

Ahmed Shehzad in an interview has said that Kohli’s career picked off amazingly because he found MS Dhoni here in Pak our senior players can't digest others success. Kohli been struggling for form for the past 2 years, I was cast aside from the team after 2 matches. #AhmedShehzad pic.twitter.com/X4IZjyYKuD — Abdul Wasay (@andy_abdulwasay) June 24, 2022

“I have said this before, and I will say it again, Kohli’s career picked off amazingly because he found MS Dhoni but unfortunately, here in Pakistan, your people cannot stand your success. Our senior players and ex-cricketers cannot digest seeing someone succeed in the cricketing world, which is unfortunate for Pakistan cricket,” Ahmed Shehzad told Cricket Pakistan. 

Shehzad, who last played for Pakistan in 2019, is out of the ODI and Test circuit since 2017. Shehzad accuses, Waqar Younis who presented Pakistan Cricket Board with a report saying he needs to return to the domestic circuit and work on the game, for his career decline. He said that he was not allowed to present his side of the story. 

“I have not seen the report myself, but a PCB official told me that these remarks have been said regarding me. But I believe that these things should be discussed face-to-face, and I am ready to take on that challenge. Then we will see who is right and who is wrong. Their words hurt my career, especially since I was not allowed to present my case. This was a pre-planned approach, and they wanted to kill two birds with one stone,” he said.

Interestingly, Shehzad made his debut way back in 2009 when he was just 17 years old. His attacking style at the top of the order was admired by many cricket pundits. However, he was left out from the Tests and ODI side after a few opportunities and after a few more chances in the T20I squad, he was dropped in 2019.