Pakistan cricketer Azam Khan drew a sharp comparison between Virat Kohli’s and Babar Azam’s batting legacies (Images via Getty) Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has stirred debate once again with his recent remarks about former national captain Babar Azam, drawing a comparison between the Pakistan star and Virat Kohli.Speaking on a Cricwick podcast, Azam praised Babarâ€s impact on Pakistan cricket, claiming that he has elevated the teamâ€s reputation through his batting, much like Kohli did for India. “Pakistan cricket was famous because of fast bowling,†Azam said. “But this guy made it famous because of batting. There is a huge difference. Like what Virat Kohli did for India.â€
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Azam then pointed out that unlike Kohli, who began his career surrounded by several greats of Indian cricket, Babar had to carry the load largely on his own. “Virat Kohli had someone around him who was a legend at that time. The era Virat Kohli started playing in, he had VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, (Rahul) Dravid, Virender Sehwag and MS Dhoni. So many big batsmen,†he said. “But who was there with Babar? There was no one.â€When asked whether Pakistan fans truly valued Babarâ€s contribution, Azam replied bluntly, “No, they donâ€t.â€27-year-old Azam, who has played 14 T20Is for Pakistan, has not featured for the national side since the 2024 T20 World Cup. His comments come at a time when his future with the team remains uncertain.
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Who made a greater impact on their respective teams: Babar Azam or Virat Kohli?
Earlier in the same podcast, Azam had also agreed with India captain Suryakumar Yadavâ€s view that the India–Pakistan rivalry no longer carries the same edge it once did. “If you see the ICC tournaments, I think… I donâ€t know if I should say this, but technically he is correct,†he said, referring to the Indian T20I skipper’s claim during the Asia Cup that there was no rivalry between the two sides.
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