Babar Azam and Virat Kohli are perhaps the best modern-day batters currently playing. While 2012 was the year when Kohli came of age, Babar came of age in 2015, slamming three back-to-back ODI centuries against West Indies in a home series. Nonetheless, times have changed and how. While Kohli struggled to score runs this year, Azam managed to keep his run going on the field. Meanwhile, off the field, he went onto score some goodwill points as he went onto back an out of form Kohli through his social media post which went viral.
Although these two continue to remain friends, their fans have only one question: Can Babar become Kohli someday? It seems, the Pakistan captain is closing in fast. When former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria was asked about the comparison between the two, he asked the fans to wait for both the batters to hang their boots.
“Babar Azam will be as successful as Virat Kohli in the shortest format of the game. As he is doing good. But in my opinion when a cricketer hangs his boot, only then you can see their stats, only then you see the average, the strike rate. What they did in their carrier,” he told News 18 Cricketnext in an exclusive.
“It’s a bad patch for poor Virat Kohli for last three year. Meanwhile Babar is getting runs in every game. The problem for Babar is that he gets runs, but his strike is not that great. In my opinion, I will only look at these two players after they hang up their boots,” he added.
Speaking further, the former Pakistan spinner cast doubts on future of Virat Kohli, citing BCCI President Sourav Ganguly’s statements.
“We don’t know maybe in Asia Cup he (Virat) may come up with a bang. If he flops, will he play? Because BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has given a clear statement that we cannot carry heavy baggage in the team and we cannot tarnish the future of other cricketers.”
He went a step ahead and named a number of talented youngsters who could be alternatives for Kohli.
“There is Shubman Gill, there is Sanju Samson in the line up, there are plenty of talent to watch. You just name it…. there is one superstar in the making that is Suryakumar Yadav who will be the superstar of Team India in coming time.”
He said people must have some pity for ‘poor’ Virat Kohli as playing international cricket is not easy.
“Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam is a hot topic, but they don’t realise how much pressure poor Virat Kohli is in right now. International cricket is not easy.” Kohli has accounted for 439 runs in 16 IPL games which was followed by a slump where he accounted for 12 runs in 2 T20I matches in England.
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