"Babar, Kohli Shouldn't Be Mentioned In Same Line": Ashwin Ends Debate

When Babar Azam was not picked for Pakistan's second Test against England, Fakhar Zaman commented that had it been Virat Kohli, he would not have been droped despite going through a lean patch. Babar's last 50+ score in the Test format came back in December 2022, and in his last 17 Test innings, he averages just 20.70. In his last eight innings on home soil, where runs have flowed for others, Babar has averaged just 18.75. 

The same topic of discussion on Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube channel and he said something very definite.

"Definitely, if he is given a chance, he will score runs. If there is class, that's okay. I feel we should end this debate once and for all. First of all, across the border, Babar Azam and Virat Kohli shouldn't be mentioned in the same line," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"I am very sorry, I really rate Babar Azam as an outstanding player, but Virat Kohli's credentials are something else. Across terrains, across times, across pressure situations, the kind of heists he has done, no one has done that in world cricket. As far as I know, at this point, if any one comes close, it is Joe Root in Test cricket."

Finally ash na called out Kohli - Babar comparison. No one elevated Kohli and Rohit better than Ash na ! @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/vWdGTyeQK3 — Sriramk6 (@06ramK) October 15, 2024

Pakistan will be looking to put an end to their misery of not winning a test for almost two years as they take on England in the second Test. They lost the first Test despite scoring well in the first innings. Pakistan have not won a single Test at home since 2022, losing six out of their ten matches and drawing four.

In the first Test, England became the first team to take a first innings lead of over 200 runs after conceding over 550 runs. Pakistan became first team to lose a Test match by an innings after scoring over 500 runs in the first innings, thanks to England's 823/7, the fourth-highest Test innings total of all time, and the highest in the 21st century.

Ahead of the second Test, the cricketing world was up for a shock as Babar was dropped for remaining two Tests along with pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah. Babar made scores of 30 and five across the two innings of the match. He was adjudged lbw to Chris Woakes in the first innings and edged wicket-keeper Jamie Smith off the bowling of Gus Atkinson in the second.

With ANI inputs