Virat Kohli best across formats, comparing Babar Azam with him not ideal: Mohammad Yousuf
In the past couple of years, the rise of Babar Azam has caught everyone’s attention, particularly those cricket pundits who pounce on every opportunity to compare an upcoming talent with an already established star.
While the 25-year-old continues to impress with his game and hunger for runs, former Pakistan legend and one of the most elegant batsmen of his times, Mohammad Yousuf feels comparing him with India and RCB captain Virat Kohli is “not ideal.”
Talking to Sportstar, Yousuf said, “Babar is young. Many people compare him with Virat Kohli. But I think it is not ideal because Kohli has played more number of matches and he is more experienced - since he has been playing international cricket since 2008-2009.”
“Babar still has a long way to go. Both are excellent players, there is no doubt. If you look at the early stages of their career, both follow a similar trend. But Babar will need some more time because Kohli has played about eight or nine years more than him,” he added.
Kohli best across formats
While the field today is full of some exceptional batsmen, Yousuf, who represented Pakistan for 12 years, thinks that Virat Kohli is the best in the current generation.
“In today’s times, there are quite a few good players - Rohit Sharma, Joe Root, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson. But Kohli is the best across formats. The way he bats, the way he handles pressure in each innings and scores centuries or the way he plays - that’s unbelievable!”
However, the 45-year-old remained optimistic that Babar Azam will join that league with time.
“Babar is also catching up and with the time, he will gain experience and deliver even better. But you can’t rush things. You must give him more time,” said Yousuf.
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