"If Virat Kohli can play for 2 years without performing"- Babar Azam given new life before Asia Cup 2025
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Former Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal has drawn comparisons between Indian legend Virat Kohli and Pakistani veteran Babar Azam, as he says if Kohli can continue playing internationally despite fewer runs over 2 years, then why not Babar, who is currently facing a dip in form?
The India vs Pakistan rivalry has never been limited to just the teams, but also player comparisons have often taken over, as the likes of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, the two greats from the two nations, have been compared as cricketers by the cricket fraternity.
Just when Babar Azam has been facing a serious dip in his career, which, though claimed, Kohli has never witnessed in his white-ball career for such a prolonged period, the former spinner backs the current veteran with comparisons to the Indian legend.
Pakistan Cricket struggles due to Babar Azam's poor form, but a former spinner backs the batter with a Kohli reference
Babar's form across all three formats of the game has been concerning the Pakistan management as well as the PCB. His dip in form is not just for a few games, but has now been over for almost 2 years.
The Pakistani cricketer has been criticized as well as dropped from the shortest format of the game and is likely to be replaced in ODIs as well if his form does not improve. As he has been dropped from a Test as well, where Kamran Ghulam, the replacement player, played a staunch innings to claim his authority.
Former cricketer Saeed Ajmal was recently questioned if he stands firm on having Babar in all teams across all playing conditions. The spinner immediately replied that he would certainly have Babar in all, as all teams need to back their superstar, their best cricketer.
In such an attempt to back Babar, he claimed that if Virat Kohli could be in the Indian side despite weak performances over 2 years, then why can't Pakistan back Babar in the same way?
"If Virat Kohli can play for 2 years without performing, Why Can't Babar? We should respect our players. He is our superstar. Don't change his technique; let him play the way he has been playing. One should respect their world-class player," concluded Babar Azam.
🚨 Saeed Ajmal On Babar Azam:
— Syed Says (@Sports_Eye_10) August 15, 2025
If Virat Kohli Can play For 2 years without Performing, Why Can't Babar? We should respect our player He is our superstar. Don't change his technique let him play the way he has been playing.
pic.twitter.com/CO6aEk3VGR
Babar Azam's T20I return ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup is uncertain
After Fakhar Zaman was injured during the West Indies series, he was reported to miss the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, as a result of which Babar Azam, the seasoned cricketer, was said to make a comeback to the T20I side.
However, one condition was implied in the statement that the comeback decision would be made on Babar's performance in the ODI series against the West Indies; however, the Pakistan veteran once again put on a disappointing show.
He scored 47, 0, and 9 in three games and averaged just 18.66 in the series with no half-century or century and a strike rate slightly over 60. This performance and Fakhar's probable return from injury have made Babar's return to the Asia Cup squad further uncertain.
Virat Kohli's stats against Pakistan compared to Babar Azam's against India
Indian veteran Virat Kohli, a seasoned cricketer, has played in 28 games against the rival nation Pakistan, where he has played in 10 T20 international games and 18 ODI games from 2009 to 2025.
He has scored 1270 runs overall against Pakistan and has averaged a handsome 63.50 against them, with 4 hundreds to his name in the 50-over format. His highest score in ODIs, 183, had come against this opposition.
Babar Azam, on the other hand, has played in 14 internationals, which are all ICC and ACC games against India, and amassed 346 runs in his career with an average of 28.83. He is yet to score a hundred and only has 2 fifties against India.
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Pakistan National Cricket Team Asia Cup Saeed Ajmal Babar Azam Virat Kohli India National Cricket Team India vs Pakistan
