Overview:
Babar's last century came during the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal, where he amassed 151 runs off 131 balls. Since that innings, he has failed to reach three figures in the 72 innings across all formats, accumulating 2,139 runs at an average of 31.45, with 18 half-centuries.
Pakistan‘s cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has stated that the frequent comparisons between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli had a negative impact on the former’s performance. Currently, Babar is going through a challenging phase in his career, struggling to find form, and has even lost his place in the T20I team. He struggled in the West Indies series, registering scores of 0 and 9 in the second and third ODIs.
For years, Babar has been compared to India’s star player, Virat Kohli. However, the former Pakistan captain has not been able to meet high expectations and he hasn’t scored a century since 2023. Shehzad explained that these constant comparisons have put pressure on Babar, which has played a part in his recent struggles.
“When things were going well, people were running campaigns comparing players. Now, when the performances aren’t there, they say, ‘Don’t compare players.’ Why? Virat Kohli is in a league of his own; no one in the world can be compared to him. He’s a legend of this generation and a role model. You can’t even compare him to MS Dhoni. While Dhoni was an excellent captain, Kohli surpasses him as a batter, cricketer, and athlete. Comparisons are unfair and only add unnecessary pressure, which is evident in Babar Azam’s current form,” Shehzad was quoted saying by GeoSuper.
Babar’s last century came during the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal, where he amassed 151 runs off 131 balls. Since that innings, he has failed to reach three figures in the 72 innings across all formats, accumulating 2,139 runs at an average of 31.45, with 18 half-centuries.
Babar is now focused on regaining his form, as his career trajectory has been on the decline since winning the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2022.