Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the greatest batters to have played the game and is often pipped against his contemporaries when it comes to the debate over the best in the world. Kohli has been one of the most prolific run-getters for India over the years and has already established his credentials as one of the best of all time.
Despite his lean patch in international cricket over the last few months, Kohli’s numbers remained world-class and it was only a matter of time before he returned to form in the Asia Cup 2022. The former India captain rediscovered his old mojo in the Asia Cup with back-to-back fifties and a much-awaited 71st international century.
Kohli notched up a fantastic knock of 122 runs against Afghanistan to bring an end to his nearly three-year-long wait for an international hundred and joined Ricky Ponting at the second spot on the list of batters with the most number of centuries in international cricket. While Kohli went on a redemption journey, his competitor Babar Azam suffered a dip in form in the Asia Cup.
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The duo share a great rapport with each other but the Pakistan captain has often been compared against Kohli for his batting exploits across formats for the Men in Green. Babar has not been at his best in the Asia Cup with only 64 runs in five matches so far.
Ahead of the final between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq was asked for his take on the Kohli vs Babar debate. While he picked the Pakistan skipper over the Indian batting maestro, Mushtaq admitted Kohli has a special place in his heart.
“Definitely Babar kahunga… but Virat mere dil ke bohot karib hai (I will definitely pick Babar, but Virat is close to my heart).
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With over 24,000 runs in international cricket, Kohli is already cunted among the legends of the game and Babar has a long way to go if he needs to come close to the former India captain. Babar has been among the most consistent batters across formats in the last few years but he will have to continue performing at the same level for a number of years to match Kohli.
Babar will be looking to bounce back to form and make an impactful contribution when Pakistan lock horns with Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. Pakistan last won the tournament in 2012 while Sri Lanka have not won the title since 2014.
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