When posed with the task of comparing the all-format batting prowess of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim didn’t shy away from making a bold choice.
Imad Wasim firmly backed the Pakistani cricket star, highlighting Babar Azam as a source of national pride and an outstanding player. The longstanding discussion about the supremacy of Virat Kohli versus Babar Azam, both highly respected in the cricket world, has sparked conversations over the years. Despite the ongoing comparisons, both batsmen have achieved remarkable milestones in their careers, continuously making substantial contributions to the sport.
Over the past decade, Virat Kohli has taken on the responsibility of leading the Indian batting lineup across all formats, establishing himself as arguably the best of our generation. Recently, he reached a significant milestone by surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most ODI centuries, achieving an impressive tally of 50 tons in the format and securing his place in the record books. Kohli’s consistent contributions to the Indian Cricket Team in all formats have been truly remarkable.
Conversely, Babar Azam has grown into one of Pakistan’s top batters, displaying remarkable consistency throughout his career. His ability to perform consistently across all three formats has been a standout feature.
Amid the ongoing debate comparing Babar Azam and Virat Kohli, Imad Wasim faced the choice between the two. He expressed his support for the Pakistani batter, emphasizing Babar Azam’s dignified and prideful contributions to the team. In a local news interview, Imad Wasim expanded on his preference.
“I would go Babar Azam. He’s our nation’s pride. We can criticise him, we can say things about him in the right way that he becomes an amazing player. But, he has served Pakistan with dignity & pride for a long time. He’s our pride,” Imad said in the Interview.
During the recent T20I series against New Zealand, Pakistan experimented with a fresh opening pair featuring Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan, a move that saw Babar Azam shifting down the order. Imad Wasim has emphasized the need to offer time and support to this new pairing, pointing out that Pakistan has 12 T20Is to fine-tune their strategy before the World Cup.
“Look, they’re still new. You can’t judge them based on three, two, three, four games. If you want to change the opening stand, give them a fair run. The thing is, we’re in a different situation because I think we have 12 T20s leading into the World Cup. They need to do it quickly. I believe they should have given, because Babar and Rizwan are already set. You can take them straight away into the World Cup opening if other fails,” Imad concluded.
