India and Pakistan cricketers can no longer enjoy the freedom of playing against each other due to the ongoing political tensions between the governments, but that hasn’t stopped them from bestowing their friendship off the field.

In a candid interview with Gaurav Kapur, India skipper Virat Kohli revealed that in the initial stages of his career, he found it difficult to face two fearsome bowlers and one of them was Pakistan’s 7 foot 1 inch tall left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan.

Kohli also shared that he hated facing the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar and Irfan was pretty much up there with Akhtar in terms of fearfulness. In a heart-warming reply, Irfan tweeted and called Virat a gentleman and a kind-hearted person. He also wished that both the cricketers will hopefully get to play against each other soon.

Earlier, talking to host Gaurav Kapoor, Kohli had said, “I have never faced Shoaib Akhtar. But I have seen him in a game in Dambula against Pakistan. I got out. I couldn’t face him. He looked lethal. When I saw that, I realised what it would feel like after his ball hit the batsmen on the body.”

Commenting on that even Shoaib said, “I was better off not bowling at all when #Kohli was batting.Jokes apart, he’s a gr8 batsman & bowling agnst him wud have been a gr8 contest.”

Kohli shares a great camaraderie with the Pakistani cricketers. He had sent a jersey signed by Team India cricketers soon after Shahid Afridi retired from international cricket.

Praising the Indian skipper, Irfan tweeted, “What a gentleman @imVkohli is! Great player with a great heart. Prayers for you my friend. Hope that we play more often in grounds. #Respect”.

What a gentleman @imVkohli is! Great player with a great heart. Prayers for you my friend. Hope that we play more often in grounds. #Respect https://t.co/ovKWuEM4TL

— Mohammad Irfan (@M_IrfanOfficial) November 6, 2017