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'Pakistan has more talent, can't compare them with Indian players': Abdul Razzaq on Virat Kohli-Babar Azam debate

Elaborating on his point, the former hard-hitting all-rounder said, India and Pakistan need to play together, and only then can a fair comparison between Kohli and Azam can be drawn.

Updated on: Mar 11, 2021, 11:55:49 IST
By , New Delhi
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Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq refused to compare cricketers of India and Pakistan as he believes cricketers from his country have more talent. Razzaq made those comments when he asked to choose between India captain Virat Kohli and Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

Abdul Razzaq played 46 Tests, 265 ODIs and 32 T20Is for Pakistan cricket team during his international career. (Getty Images)
Abdul Razzaq played 46 Tests, 265 ODIs and 32 T20Is for Pakistan cricket team during his international career. (Getty Images)

“Firstly, we should not say such a thing [compare Virat Kohli with Babar Azam]. You can’t compare Indian players with Pakistan players because Pakistan has more talent,” Razzaq told Cricket Pakistan in an interview.

“If you look at our history, we have so many great players who we can draw comparisons with like Mohammad Yousaf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Ijaz Ahmed,” said Razzaq.

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Elaborating on his point, the former hard-hitting all-rounder said, India and Pakistan need to play together, and only then can a fair comparison between Kohli and Azam can be drawn.

“Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are completely different players. If we want to compare the two, then it’s important to hold matches between Pakistan and India and then judge who is a better player.

“Virat Kohli is a good player and he has performed well against Pakistan. I have nothing against him but if Indians don’t compare their players with Pakistan, then we shouldn’t do that as well,” Razzaq said.

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Both Kohli and Azam are regarded as one of the top all-format batsmen going around currently. While Kohli started his career well before his Pakistan counterpart, Azam has risen through the ranks rapidly.

“He [Babar Azam] played under me for five to six years at ZTBL and I never dropped him as captain. He was very talented and a very decent batsman. He proved himself [on the world stage] and is now the number one batsman,” he said. “If we look after him properly, he will go on to break all the records,” Razzaq said.

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