Babar Azam ‘technically sound’ than Virat Kohli, won’t struggle for so long says former PAK pacer

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has often been compared to former Indian skipper Virat Kohli and the comparisons refused to die down. Former Pakistan pacer Aaqib Javed became the latest cricketer to offer his take between two legendary batsmen. 

Javed feels that Azam won’t have such a prolonged period of struggle, such as the ongoing rough patch of Kohli because the former is more ‘technically sound’. 

The last time Virat Kohli scored a century was way back in November 2019, and even though he remains the highest-scoring Indian player across formats since the ODI World Cup 2019, the 33-year-old is nowhere near his own lofty standards. 

READ| Virat Kohli- end of an era? Will the star batsman be able to bounce back and rule the game once again?

Comparing Babar Azam to his Indian adversary, Javed said that the Pakistani skipper would never endure such a long rough patch. 

Speaking on Paktv.tv, Javed who won the World Cup with Pakistan said, “There are two types of great players. One is players who, if they get stuck, their rough patch continues for a long time. The others are technically-sound players, whose rough patch cannot continue that long, like Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Joe Root. It is difficult to find their weakness. Kohli gets stuck at times with those deliveries outside off stump. James Anderson has targetted that a million times.”

He continued, “Last day I was watching him bat and I felt that he is now consciously trying not to play those deliveries from a distance. When you change your technique, these problems will surface. To come out of it, he can try playing a big knock without being conscious. That will help him sustain a purple patch for a long time.”

READ| Watch: Virat Kohli begins prep for Asia cup, shares video on Instagram

While the Delhi-born talismanic batter was on a short break from cricket, he is set to return to the Indian team and play his career’s 100th T20I match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2022.