Pakistan cricketer drops truth bomb on Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam debate, says 'Huge difference....'

Pakistan's young wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has shared his perspective on the ongoing debate between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, which has highlighted the brilliance of these two batting talents. While Virat is often regarded as the finest batter of this generation, Babar has managed to maintain a similar level of performance over an extended period.

However, Babar has faced significant challenges in recent years. Following a notable decline in his batting form across all formats, he lost his captaincy and has been subjected to considerable criticism. In contrast, Virat is nearing the conclusion of his illustrious career, having already stepped away from Test and T20I formats. He was recently seen in the ODI series against Australia, where he delivered a match-winning performance in the final game.

Azam noted that Pakistan has consistently produced exceptional fast bowlers, but it is Babar Azam who has made batting a prominent aspect of the nation’s cricketing identity. He drew parallels to Virat Kohli's impact on Indian cricket.

"Pakistan cricket was famous because of fast bowling. But this guy made it famous because of his batting. There is a huge difference. Like what Virat Kohli did for India," Azam said while speaking on the Crickwick podcast.

"Virat Kohli had someone around him who was a legend at that time. In the era he started playing in, he had VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and MS Dhoni. So many big batters. But who was there with Babar? There was no one," he added.

Importantly, Babar remains active in all formats and has recently returned to the T20I squad. However, he has yet to make a significant impact in the current ODI series against South Africa at home. In terms of statistical comparisons, Kohli reached his first 1,000 ODI runs in 24 innings, while Babar accomplished this milestone three innings faster. It took Kohli one year and 291 days to achieve this, whereas Babar did it in just one year and 233 days.

Three years ago, Babar had an outstanding run, recording the highest number of 50-plus scores across formats in a single year. In contrast, Kohli has not surpassed six such innings in recent times, a milestone he last reached back in 2012.

By the time Babar stepped down as Pakistan’s T20I captain, he had led the team in 85 matches. In comparison, Kohli announced his decision to step down from India’s T20I leadership after the 2021 T20 World Cup, having captained the team in 50 matches.

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