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Mint
2 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Virat Kohli dragged into picture for Babar Azam's downfall; ex-Pakistan star says 'it's unfair and adds extra pressure'
Babar Azam has been time and again described as Pakistan's answer to India's Virat Kohli. Despite making his international debut six years after that of former India captain, the Kohli vs Babar narrative seems to have a telling impact on the Pakistan star after his prolonged lean patch in international cricket. Known as the poster boy of Pakistan cricket, Babar has gone more than 70 innings without an international hundred, with his last ton coming against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup. Babar's latest slump came against West Indies in three ODIs with just 56 runs, including a duck. This is similar to what Kohli suffered a few years back when the Indian stalwart went without a three-figure score from 2020 to 2022. Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad, the comparisons with Kohli affected Babar's form in international cricket. 'When everything was going well, you were running campaigns comparing players. Now that the performances are not coming, you are saying 'don't compare two players'. Why not?" Shehzad, who played 153 matches for Pakistan was quoted as saying to GeoSuper. Shehzad went on to even state that Kohli's comparison shouldn't be made with two-time World Cup-winning former captain MS Dhoni. "Virat Kohli's comparison cannot be made with anyone in the world. He is a legend of this generation, a role model. "You cannot compare him even with MS Dhoni. Dhoni may have been a great captain, but as a batter, cricketer, and athlete, Kohli stands alone. No one should be compared with anyone because it's unfair and it adds extra pressure, which we are now seeing on Babar Azam,' said Shehzad. In 2025, Babar played just 14 international matches. In three Tests, the right-hander scored 184 runs while he managed 334 in 11 ODIs. He is yet to play a T20I in this year. Interestingly, Babar's teammate Salman Ali Agha mustered most runs (857) for Pakistan in 2025. Following the ODI series against West Indies, Pakistan will next be seen in the T20I Tri-nation series in United Arab Emirates, also involving Afghanistan. The tri-series will also act as a preparation for all the three teams ahead of Asia Cup 2025 which starts on September 9. Although the squads for both the tri-series and the Asia Cup 2025 are yet to be announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Babar's is likely to be included.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Virat Kohli comparisons have affected Babar Azam's game across formats, says Pakistan's Ahmed Shehzad
Babar Azam's persistent lack of big scores continued during the ODI series against West Indies, which ended with a catastrophic 202-run defeat in Trinidad on Tuesday. Surrounded by three ducks in the top-order, Babar mustered only nine runs as Pakistan were eventually shot down for a paltry 92 in a 295-run chase. Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has highlighted the consistent comparisons with India legend Virat Kohli as a primary reason behind Babar's extended century-drought. 'When everything was going well, you were running campaigns comparing players. Now that the performances are not coming, you are saying 'don't compare two players'. Why not? Virat Kohli's comparison cannot be made with anyone in the world. He is a legend of this generation, a role model. You cannot compare him even with MS Dhoni. Dhoni may have been a great captain, but as a batter, cricketer, and athlete, Kohli stands alone. No one should be compared with anyone because it's unfair and it adds extra pressure, which we are now seeing on Babar Azam,' Shehzad was quoted as saying by GeoSuper. Despite surpassing Kohli's T20I run tally last year as he moved up to 4223 runs, only behind former India captain Rohit Sharma, Babar was axed from the Pakistan squad in the shortest format. Since his century against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023, Babar has gone 72 innings across all formats without reaching a hundred. During this period, he's scored 2,139 runs at an average of 31.45, with 18 half-centuries. His struggle for a century is particularly notable in Test cricket where he has gone three years without a three-figure score. Since his last Test hundred against New Zealand in December 2022, he has averaged just 23.60, scoring 590 runs in 25 innings. With scores of 47, 0 and 9 in the West Indies ODI series, the former Pakistan captain also slipped down from the top 2 of the ICC ODI batting rankings. India skipper Rohit displaced Babar to take second place in the latest rankings, with Shubman Gill leading the charts in the format.
India Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Virat Kohli comparison main reason behind Babar Azam's downfall: Ahmed Shehzad
Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has said that Virat Kohli comparisons have resulted in Babar Azam's downfall. The Pakistan star has been going through a rough patch across formats as he has also lost his place in the T20I side. He's once again having a forgettable series in West Indies, having registered scores of 0 and 9 in the second and third the years, Babar has been compared with India star Virat Kohli by both his fans and pundits. However, the former captain has failed to live up to his reputation as he hasn't scored a hundred since 2023. Recently, Ahmed Shehzad said that Virat Kohli comparisons resulted in Babar's downfall, as it added unfair pressure on the Pakistan star.'When everything was going well, you were running campaigns comparing players. Now that the performances are not coming, you are saying 'don't compare two players'. Why not? Virat Kohli's comparison cannot be made with anyone in the world. He is a legend of this generation, a role model. You cannot compare him even with MS Dhoni. Dhoni may have been a great captain, but as a batter, cricketer, and athlete, Kohli stands alone. No one should be compared with anyone because it's unfair and it adds extra pressure, which we are now seeing on Babar Azam,' Shehzad was quoted as saying by GeoSuper. Babar last scored a century vs Nepal during the Asia Cup 2023, playing an innings of 151 (131). Since then, Babar hasn't been able to reach three figures in the next 72 innings across formats, having scored 2139 runs at an average of 31.45 with 18 half-centuries. In Tests, he's scored 590 runs from 25 innings at an average of 23.60 since his last century, recorded against New Zealand in December the star batter is desperate to find his form again as his career has only gone downwards after winning the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2022. With the Asia Cup 2025 approaching, Babar would be eager to find his form as reports of his comeback in the shortest format have been emerging.- EndsMust Watch
