Former India spinner sheds light on comparisons between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam

Harbhajan Singh, a former off-spinner for India, has stated that Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, is still not at Virat Kohli's level. He believed the Team India mainstay had already demonstrated his abilities across formats and cemented his place among the all-time greats of the sport.

Babar and Kohli are frequently compared by fans and critics because of their propensity for reliable scoring and elegant stroke-making.

“Virat Kohli is the greatest, and Babar Azam is in the making”: Shoaib Akhtar

In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar and Harbhajan Singh reviewed the current status of Virat Kohli as well as Babar Azam in international cricket. He said, “Virat Kohli has established himself as a great, while Babar still has a lot to do. He will reach there someday, as he is a wonderful player. He is very good in Test cricket, but maybe T20 doesn't suit him a lot."

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also spoke about the comparison and agreed with the Indian spinner’s views. He said, “Virat Kohli is the greatest, and Babar Azam is in the making to be the greatest batsman ever. He is trying to get better in T20s. People are behind him for no reason."

Since his 2008 debut in international cricket, Kohli has amassed over 25,000 runs with an average of 53.44 across all three forms, including 75 hundreds. In the annals of international cricket, only the great Sachin Tendulkar has amassed more hundreds.

After making his Pakistan debut in 2015, Babar Azam has steadily developed as the team's go-to batsman in all forms. Azam has amassed almost 12,000 runs in his eight-year career at a fantastic average of 49.87, featuring 30 centuries.

Both players will compete against one another several times in the upcoming months when India and Pakistan engage in the Asia Cup as well as the ODI World Cup 2023, respectively. On October 15, at the largest cricket stadium in the world, Ahmedabad, the thrilling World Cup encounter between the two teams will take place. There will be in excess of a lakh viewers supporting their sides in this riveting game.