Comparing Pakistan’s Babar Azam and India’s Virat Kohli is one of the most exciting topics of conversation in modern cricket circles. Azam was born on October 15, 1994, while Kohli was born on November 5, 1988, making the Indian batter six years older than the Pakistani player. Babar Azam’s first ODI was in May 2015, but Virat Kohli started his international cricket career in August 2008 when he played his first ODI. Before his maiden Test match, which took place in June 2011, Virat had to wait three more years. In October 2016, 17 months after making his international debut, Babar played his first Test. Azam’s first T20I match was in September 2016, while Kohli’s was in June 2010.
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Babar Azam:
Test Matches: 29 matches, 2,118 runs, an average of 45.63, with 7 centuries and 13 half-centuries.
80 games, 3,808 runs, an average of 56.83, 15 centuries, and 19 half-centuries were scored in ODIs.
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is): 68 matches, 2,622 runs, an average of 48.55, with 2 centuries and 20 half-centuries.
Virat Kohli:
Test Matches: 95 matches, 7,544 runs, an average of 52.04, with 27 centuries and 25 half-centuries.
254 games, 12,169 runs, an average of 59.07, 43 centuries, and 62 half-centuries were scored in ODIs.
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is): 90 matches, 3,190 runs, an average of 52.90, with 0 centuries and 28 half-centuries.
Notable Records:
Babar Azam is the fastest player to score 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, and 6,000 runs in One-Day Internationals.
Virat Kohli is the fastest player to score 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, and 11,000 runs in One-Day Internationals.
Kohli has the most centuries in run-chases in One-Day Internationals.
Babar Azam vs. Virat Kohli Career Comparison
In all formats, Virat Kohli has cemented his position as perhaps the best batsman in the world. However, a comparison of the two players’ total amount of matches shows how much more Kohli has participated, particularly in Tests and ODIs. We may compare Babar Azam’s success to Virat Kohli’s statistics at the same point in his career to get a sense of how successful he was. It’s interesting to see how Virat Kohli’s statistics after 27 tests compare to those of Babar Azam. With 27 Tests under his belt, Kohli amassed 1755 runs at a 42.80 average and six hundred. With one fewer
century (five) and more runs scored (1924), Babar Azam has a higher standard (44.74) than Virat Kohli had at the same point in his career.
In T20 cricket, both Babar Azam and Virat Kohli have made significant contributions to their respective teams. Here is a comparison of their performances in the T20 format:
Babar Azam:
Matches: Babar has played 68 T20I matches so far.
Runs: He has scored 2,622 runs in T20Is.
Batting Average: Babar has an impressive batting average of 48.55 in T20Is.
Centuries: He has scored 2 centuries in T20I cricket.
Half-centuries: Babar has 20 half-centuries to his name in T20Is.
Virat Kohli:
Matches: Kohli has played 90 T20I matches.
Runs: He has amassed 3,190 runs in T20Is.
Batting Average: Kohli has an excellent batting average of 52.90 in T20Is.
Centuries: While he has not scored a T20I century yet, he has come close on several occasions.
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Half-centuries: Kohli has registered 28 half-centuries in T20I cricket.
It’s worth noting that Babar Azam has a marginally higher batting average in T20Is, while Virat Kohli has scored more runs overall. Both players are known for anchoring an innings and effectively chasing targets in T20 cricket. While Babar Azam has showcased his consistency and elegance in stroke play, Virat Kohli has been a master at building innings and playing calculated shots.
Ultimately, both players bring their unique styles and skills to the T20 format, and their performances have made them invaluable assets for their respective teams in the shortest format of the game.
