'He is way ahead right now. Want him to break plenty of Kohli’s records but...': Imam's honest verdict on Virat vs Babar
Babar last month surpassed Virat Kohli to become the world No. 1 T20I batter for the longest period of time. Kohli was the No.1 ranked T20I batter for a total of 1,013 days.
Pakistan produced a number of legendary fast bowlers who dominated the game over the past few decades. The post-Imran Khan era saw the formidable Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis pairing before tearaway pacer Shoaib Akhtar took the centre stage in world cricket. About two decades hence, Babar Azam is ruling the batting charts along with spearheading the national side. The star batter last month surpassed Virat Kohli to become the world No. 1 T20I batter for the longest period of time. Kohli was the No.1 ranked T20I batter for a total of 1,013 days during his reign last decade – a record that Babar ended with his long-standing stay at the numero uno spot. India vs England 2nd ODI Live Score
It was in 2016 that a young Babar first burst onto the international scene. Cut to the present, he has notched up nearly 10,000 runs in international cricket. He has scored 9979 runs with 24 centuries and 66 half-centuries in 40 Tests, 89 ODIs and 74 T20Is.
In the past few years, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson had been headlining the 'Fab 4' list in international cricket. But Babar has put his hand up for a spot in the elite panel, thanks to his consistent batting performances irrespective of the format. It also has people comparing the Pakistan captain with Kohli, who remains one of the finest players despite the recent slump in his form.
Babar's teammate and friend Imam-ul-Haq wants him to score three to four thousand more runs than Kohli. But Imam said Babar still has a long way to go before people compare him with the Indian batter.
“Virat Kohli is a legend and there’s no doubt about that. If someone has played 240 plus matches and someone 80, then you can’t compare them. If you compare their careers right now, then Babar is way ahead, but as my best friend and captain of Pakistan, I want him to break plenty of Kohli’s records," Imam said on SAMAA News.
“But right now, I can’t understand the comparisons. One has more than 10,000 runs. Yes, at the end of their careers, I want Babar to score 3 to 4 thousand runs more than Kohli in every format,” he added.
At present, Kohli is struggling for runs, having scored an international hundred almost three years ago in 2019. He was left out of the India squad for the upcoming T20 series in West Indies. The BCCI did not specify if he had been dropped or rested.
With several in-form batsmen pushing for a top-order berth, Kohli's place in the Twenty20 set-up has come under the scanner, especially when the team is rehearsing for this year's World T20 in Australia.
But BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has backed the 33-year-old to regain his form. "He himself knows by his own standards it has not been good and I see him coming back and doing well," the former India captain told ANI.
"But he has got to find his way and become successful, which he has been for the last 12-13 years or more and only Virat Kohli can do that."
