IND vs PAK Clash: Stop Comparing Babar Azam to Virat Kohli

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli were discussed together during a brief period which lasted from the late 2010s until the early 2020s. The Pakistani fans showed great enthusiasm toward Babar but cricket legends believed he took the same path as Kohli. Several former cricketers felt Babar should be added to the Fab 4: Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Kane Williamson.

The entire discussion has vanished after several years. Babar has experienced difficulty since 2023 while Kohli has seen his Test cricket performance decline. The Pakistani batter achieved an over 40 batting average across all formats between 2016 and 2022. Since that time his performance level has decreased continuously. 

Babar has lost his position in both Test matches and T20I matches during the past two years. The same situation never occurred with Kohli. He retired from the shortest format after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and retired from Test cricket in May 2025.

Babar Khan received a middle-order position because his team needed him to play that role during the T20 World Cup 2026. The team expected him to bat through difficult Sri Lankan weather conditions. He has not succeeded yet. Babar lost control during the most important match which featured India playing against Pakistan. 

The comparison between him and Kohli stops at that point. The Indian legend always performed his best for India during critical situations. Kohli achieved an impressive 70.28 batting average against Pakistan. Babar attained a success rate of 22, which stands in comparison to his opponent. He has achieved nearly half of his complete professional achievements. 

Record while chasing in T20 World Cup:

• Virat Kohli: Average of 135.50 and Strike Rate of 134.15
• Babar Azam: Average of 31.20 and Strike Rate of 103.65

The second method for comparing their responses to pressure situations involves assessing their success rates during summer months. Kohli achieves a better performance record than Babar because he maintains a 104 point advantage over his competitor. Yes, you heard that right. The disparity between both parties reaches such extreme proportions that it defies explanation.

Babar lacks the ability to perform under pressure during critical matches. The match between Pakistan and India which Pakistan won by 10 wickets during the T20 World Cup 2021 proved the validity of comparing Babar to Kohli. Babar has played five matches against India after that match and he has scored 42 runs with an average of 8.40. 

He has reached the 15-run mark only one time during his career. He maintains a batting efficiency of 113.51. After he departs the Pakistani hitters need to compensate for his slow batting style. Babar creates a negative effect on his team performance against India matches. Babar and Kohli cannot be compared because this evidence proves that point.

Babar Azam’s T20I record vs India: