India’s cricket sensation Virat Kohli has showered praise upon Babar Azam, recognizing him as one of the premier batsmen globally across different formats of the game. Kohli expressed his deep admiration and reminisced about his initial encounter with Babar Azam, the standout player from Pakistan, during a conversation on Star Sports.
Presently, Babar Azam holds the coveted first position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, boasting an impressive score of 886 rating points. In contrast, Virat Kohli finds himself in the ninth position, garnering 705 rating points.
Due to limited opportunities for Indian and Pakistani players to compete against each other, there exists a profound sense of mutual admiration among cricketers hailing from both nations. Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, both esteemed batters of their era, haven’t crossed paths frequently, yet they hold a keen awareness of the caliber they contribute to their respective squads.
During a recent conversation, Kohli candidly discussed his rapport with Babar, labeling the Pakistani cricketer as arguably the finest batter globally across various formats. The duo, Kohli and Babar, have been instrumental in establishing fresh benchmarks for batting excellence within the realm of cricket.
“The initial interaction I had with him [Babar Azam] was during the 2019 (ODI) World Cup right after the match in Manchester. I’ve been acquainted with Imad (Wasim) since the Under-19 World Cup, and he mentioned that Babar wanted to have a conversation. We sat down and discussed the game. Right from the outset, I sensed a lot of respect and esteem from him, and that sentiment remains unchanged,” Kohli recounted.
“Regardless of the fact that he’s arguably the foremost batsman globally across various formats, and that’s well-deserved. He consistently delivers outstanding performances, and I’ve always taken pleasure in watching his gameplay,” Kohli added.
The rivalry between these two batters has consistently captured the spotlight during the high-energy clashes between India and Pakistan over the last half-decade.
As Kohli faced a period of batting challenges, Babar’s prime took flight, propelling him to surpass Kohli in the ODI rankings and secure the position of the top ODI batter.
At just 28 years old, the Pakistan captain boasts an impressive track record, participating in 104 T20Is, 100 ODIs, and 49 Test matches. He has emerged as a standout performer across all three formats, amassing a total of 12,346 runs, which includes an impressive tally of 30 centuries, at the highest level of the game.
The two batters are set to grace the field once more and go head-to-head in an anticipated showdown during the upcoming Asia Cup clash scheduled for September 2nd.
