Former India batsman VVS Laxman has said that batting against ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was "challenging". "Akhtar was probably the quickest bowler in world cricket at that time along with Brett Lee...and he always was up [for] the fight," he added. Akhtar played 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is, picking a total of 444 wickets.