Indian team’s experienced off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, has asked fans not to compare Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. Recently, Babar has been struggling with poor form and was dropped from Pakistan’s second and third Test matches against England. The former Pakistan captain hasn’t scored a half-century in his last 18 Test innings.
After Babar was left out of the team, his teammate Fakhar Zaman compared Babar’s bad form to Kohli’s struggles in the past. Fakhar mentioned that Pakistan selectors should have supported Babar in the same way India supported Kohli during his tough times. Responding to these comments and the constant comparisons, Ashwin said that the names of Kohli and Babar should not be mentioned together.
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “If Babar had been given more chances, he would have scored runs as he has the class. But I believe this debate should end. First of all, Kohli and Babar’s names should not be mentioned in the same sentence.”
Ashwin acknowledged Babar’s talent as a Test batsman but said Kohli is a completely different player. According to Ashwin, Kohli can only be compared to Joe Root. He said, “I apologize, but while I see Babar Azam as a great player, Kohli is on another level. Across different places, times, and under pressure, the way Kohli has scored runs, no one in the cricket world has come close to that. If anyone has come close, it’s Joe Root in Test cricket.”
Comparing Kohli and Babar in Test cricket, Kohli has played 115 Test matches and scored 8947 runs at an average of 48.89, with 29 centuries and 30 half-centuries. On the other hand, Babar has scored 3997 runs in 55 Test matches at an average of 43.92, including 9 centuries and 26 half-centuries.