‘Virat Kohli can improve his technique by looking at Babar’ – Aaqib Javed compares Babar Azam with Sachin Tendulkar

‘Virat Kohli can improve his technique by looking at Babar’ – Aaqib Javed compares Babar Azam with Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Sachin Tendulkar

Babar Azam is the torch bearer of the new generation of Pakistan cricket. Superb technique and consistency is the trademark of Babar, who is also second in ICC ODI rankings among batsmen. Babar’s great performances off late has led the Pakistan fans and former cricketers to compare him with Indian captain Virat Kohli.

And the latest among Pakistan former players to draw parallels between the two is Aaqib Javed. Kohli’s weakness against the swing is well known in international cricket and the former pacer feels that Kohli should learn from Babar on that front. Javed even went on to compare the Pakistan skipper to Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

Also Read | ‘It is crucial to give an individual or opening partners enough time’ – Sanju Samson looking to achieve stability on captaincy debut

“Virat Kohli has a better range [of shots] as compared to Babar Azam but he also has one area of weakness. If the ball swings, he tends to get trapped around the off-stump such as against James Anderson in England,” Javed told Cricket Pakistan. “When you look at Babar, you don’t see any weak areas.“

“Just like, [Sachin] Tendulkar who also didn’t have any weak areas. Babar is technically more safe and sound but if he follows Kohli’s fitness routine he will become an even better player. Meanwhile, Kohli can improve his technique by looking at Babar so that he doesn’t get trapped,” he added.

Virat Kohli’s century drought

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli

It has been around one and a half years since Kohli’s last ton in international cricket. The Indian skipper has hit 70 centuries in international cricket and is the only batsman of his generation with a chance to equal Sachin’s record of hundred international centuries. But the century drought in his career has allowed many to question Kohli’s technique off late despite the fact that he has proven his prowess with the bat around the world.

2020 became the first calendar year when Kohli failed to score a ton since his debut but that doesn’t mean that the Indian skipper is out of form. In his last ten innings in international cricket, Kohli has struck five half-centuries which is testament to his form off late.

On the other hand, Babar recently registered an ODI ton against South Africa, and he surpassed Kohli and South Africa’s Hashim Amla as the quickest to notch up 13 centuries in the 50-over format. Babar and Kohli are currently locked in a race to claim the top spot in the ICC ODI batsmen’s rankings. Kohli is at the top of the list while Babar is second with only five points adrift his Indian counterpart.

Also Read | ‘He offers a huge amount of support to me’ – Eoin Morgan opens up on the role of former captain Dinesh Karthik