There will be more Kohli's, not like we don't have talent: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who was once better remembered for his aggressive medium paced bowling than for aggressive oratory, remembers beating future India paceman Venkatesh Prasad in an inter-university final game during the early 90s.

Owaisi took 6/79 and on Saturday (May 17), he remembered with delight that Prasad was wicketless in the game. For the record Prasad's Bengaluru University side defeated the future Hyderabadi politician's Osmania University.

"We lost the game but I did take six wickets and Venkatesh took none," the Hyderabad constituency MP said in an interview to PTI.

Proudly, Owaisi presented on his phone the photograph of a big write-up in the local Deccan Chronicle newspaper after the day's play, with the score card. The report included a small photograph of the then clean-shaven Owaisi, his hair pasted on the scalp.

Then he was chosen to represent South Zone inter-university Under-25 team, and participated in Vizzy Trophy, a country-wide level one-day competition for university sides, in 1994.

But fate had it otherwise that he traveled to London to read law at Lincoln's Inn and "the cricketing chapter ended right there."

He humbly rejects speculation that he might have achieved the top league if he had continued to play cricket, like other Hyderabadis Mohammad Azharuddin, Abid Ali, ML Jaisimha, Ghulam Hussain and VVS Laxman. To him, they were all-time greats and he was merely an average bowler

"No no no! My name can't be compared with Azharuddin. He is a man who played 99 Tests. You can't compare me with Azharuddin. As a cricketer I salute him. As a politician I have quite a few differences with him," said Owaisi.

He concurred with the argument that Indian cricket today has made the game democratic and provided opportunities for players from all sorts of backgrounds to reach the top, referencing the tale of pacer Mohammad Siraj. But it has to be made more democratic, he added.

"See Mohammad Siraj today. Mashallah. Poor background boy. Through sheer hard work he made it and has achieved 100 Test wickets. Excellent journey. inspirational!. Hope that he plays extensively for India and brings many wins to India.

'We will miss his cover drive'

He made rich tributes to Virat Kohli who this week dropped a bombshell by announcing his Test retirement.".

"Astonishing player he is. We will always miss his cover drive. On the rise the manner in which he pulled over the head of the bowler! Arey great player is. Astonishing player is.

"But there will be more Kohlis. It's not that we don't have talent in India," he signed off.