India will struggle against Akhtar in absence of Sachin, Yuvraj in Asia Cup: Sohail Tanvir

With no Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh in the batting line up, India is going to struggle against the pace of comeback man Shoaib Akhtar in the upcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, believes Pakistan left arm pacer Sohail Tanvir.

“India will be without Sachin and Yuvraj while most of the others are recuperating from the losses against Zimbabwe. In such a scenario, it would not be easy dealing with Akhtar’s pace and variety,” The Daily Times quoted Tanvir, as telling a sports website.

While Tendulkar had opted out of the tournament to spend time with his family, Yuvraj was axed from the team following a string of poor performances in the recent past.

Describing Akhtar as a ‘fighter’, Tanvir played down past controversies surrounding the Rawalpindi Express, and said he expects the fast bowler to be a changed man.

“Look, whatever has happened in the past is history. I am sure you will get to see a different Akhtar in the Asia Cup. No matter how big a star any player is, comebacks are the same for all. Akhtar is a fighter,” he said.