Former Pakistani cricketer Ahmad Shehzad highlighted that regular comparisons with Virat Kohli have put undue and excessive pressure on the Pakistani batter Babar Azam.
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Babar has had significant struggles in the past few years, especially in the 50-over format. Known for his elegance and classical batting, he has failed to score big runs in the white-ball format.
Shehzad described Kohli as one of the greatest legends of the modern game and cautioned fans not to compare him with any other player.
Don't compare Virat Kohli to Babar Azam, says Shehzad
Shehzad feels that drawing parallels between Virat Kohli, who is arguably the greatest ever batter to have graced the game and Babar is unfair.
The former Pakistani cricketer noted that such comparisons add additional pressure on Babar, who is already struggling with his form. Shehzad argued that Kohli is a legend of this generation, and fans cannot compare him, not even with the great MS Dhoni.
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Kohli has created a legacy of his own, and with 51 ODI centuries to his name, he sits comfortably at the top, even ahead of the Master Blaster - Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian legend, playing only the ODI format at present, averages 58 with 14181 runs in 302 matches in the 50-over game.
"Virat Kohli's comparison doesn't hold with anyone; he is a legend of this generation...Be it anyone in the world, you can't even compare him to MS Dhoni...As a batter, as an athlete...you can't compare him to anyone...It is unfair and adds extra pressure, which we are seeing with Babar Azam these days," said Shehzad during a media interaction.
Ahmad Shahzad on Babar Azam's performance against West Indies #BabarAzam #BabarAzam𓃵 #PakvsWI #WIvsPAK pic.twitter.com/lWphZhsrfB
— Altamash Iqbal (@altamashi25) August 12, 2025
Babar Azam's recent struggles in the ODIs
Babar's form in Pakistan's recently concluded series against the West Indies was deeply concerning. The batter, who last scored a ton in 2023, has been facing a century drought for the last 72 innings -- the longest among active cricketers.
In three ODIs against the West Indies, Babar returned with scores of 47, 0, and 9. Jayden Seales got the better of him twice in three games, as he dismantled the Pakistani batting lineup with his pace and accuracy.
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Kohli's statistical achievements and his impact on the game have raised the bar to an unreachable level. While Babar has his own set of skills and achievements, comparing him with a legend like Kohli is largely unfair and, in fact, illogical.