Brad Hogg dismisses Virat Kohli-Babar Azam comparisons
Former Australian spinner, Brad Hogg, has rubbished comparisons between Pakistani cricketer Babar Azam and Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli. Hogg's statement comes after Babar was recently dropped from Pakistan's Test team due to poor performance. Hogg stressed that comparing the two players' periods of poor form is baseless, considering the contrasting outcomes for their respective teams during these times.
Hogg supports Babar's exclusion from Test team
Hogg defended Pakistan's decision to drop Babar, saying it was a necessary move. He emphasized the stark difference in team performance during the players' respective slumps. "India were the second-best team in the world during Kohli's lows, while Pakistan are currently the second-worst during Babar's lows," Hogg said. He further stressed that tough decisions need to be made in challenging times like these.
Fakhar Zaman criticizes decision to drop Babar
Unlike Hogg, Pakistani cricketer Fakhar Zaman was not on board with Babar's exclusion from the Test team. He took to X, saying India never dropped Kohli during his rough patch between 2020-2023. Zaman called Babar one of Pakistan's finest batsmen ever and warned that sidelining him could send a negative message across the team.
Babar's poor form extends across all formats
Babar's woeful form hasn't just been limited to Test cricket but has also seeped into his ODIs and T20Is. He hasn't scored a half-century in his last 18 Test innings and was abysmal in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. In the Multan Test against England, Babar was dismissed after struggling on the off-stump corridor, failing to make the most of a flat pitch.
Kohli and Babar before turning 30
Cricket experts have been coming up with Babar-Kohli comparisons lately. It is worth noting that before turning 30, Kohli already had 18,665 international runs at an incredible average of 56.56. His tally included 62 tons. Kohli had already entered the 10,000-run club by then. Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Babar 13,871 internationals runs at 47.34 so far. He owns 31 centuries, exactly half the tons of Kohli.
