Asia Cup 2022: The Virat Kohli Vs Babar Azam debate - similarities & differences between two Asian Greats

When Pakistani legend Inzamam-ul-Haq questioned Babar Azam how he felt about being compared with Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson, the 27-year-old who made his debut in Green in 2015 said that being grouped with top players like Kohli boosts his confidence, pushes him to perform better.

Similarly, when Virat Kohli who is almost 7 years senior to Babar Azam, was asked about the Pakistan skipper, Kohli was all praise for his supposed 'rival'.

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Apparently, Babar Azam, the young captain, who is being touted as the next big thing in cricket, being considered as a beacon of hope who could restore Pakistan's pristine past in the sport... is also being tub-thumped as Virat Kohli's competitor, one who will dethrone Kohli...

But do they even qualify as competitors?

While cricket fans would enjoy seeing the finest of 2-rival nations battling it out on the field, they would also love to watch 2 first-rate cricketers of different generations counterattacking each other, all of this does not really convert into a rivalry of numbers and statistics. While Kohli has already established himself as the King, Babar's journey has just begun.

Going by the current numbers, Babar for now stands no chance; 70 centuries, 122 half centuries, 463 games across formats- These dictate Virat's supremacy. For Babar, the numbers are impressive for a comparatively short career- 25 centuries, 70 half centuries in 207 games across formats.

The comparison is difficult but there are quite a few similarities.

The picture-perfect cover drives...

For some Kohli's might be a shade better, for others, it might be the other way round, but both the right-handed batters send the crowd into a frenzy when they hit the ball through the covers.

The Asian greats- ruling across formats.

Until October 2021, both Kohli and Babar Azam were the only 2 cricketers who were featured in the ICC's list of Top 10 players across formats. For Kohli, his dip off-late, though, has pushed him out of the top Test and T20I rankings. But Babar is the only cricketer who continues to be among the top three players across formats.

Consistency-

In 2018, when Babar Azam, 23, was gradually rising through the ranks, he was being compared to Virat Kohli, the then India captain. Responding to it, Azam was quoted as saying 'Virat Kohli is a legend, I am nowhere near him'. Cut to 2022, the debate refuses to die down, all credit to Azam's relentless efforts.

To attain Kohli's level, Azam needs to climb a huge mountain, his Kohli-like consistency might just pave the way. The ODI and Test numbers of Kohli are a far-fetched dream, but in T20I, Babar Azam is quickly bridging the gap.

Since 2019, Babar has quickly climbed the ladder, securing the top spot in the ICC rankings, accumulating 1655 runs in 43 games he has played. On the other hand, Kohli's willow despite being under the weather has amassed 1141 runs in 31 games.

For Babar Azam, who is building a league of his own, there are many milestones he still needs to achieve. While he is dominating the scenes in T20Is, when juxtaposed with Virat Kohli in ODIs and Tests, the Pakistani batter has a long road ahead of him. But we still have to wait, Azam might just emerge as the player of current decade in ODIs, maintaining the Asian subcontinent’s dominance across the globe.