Pakistan legend Zaheer Abbas has weighed in on the ongoing comparisons between India star Virat Kohli and Pakistan’s embattled captain Babar Azam, calling them “baseless”. Abbas, widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s greatest batsmen, stressed that Kohli’s consistency and prolific scoring made it unfair to compare him to Babar, who is currently experiencing a prolonged slump in form.
“Yeh fizool ki baatein hai (comparisons are pointless),” Abbas said at the Predicta Cricket Conclave, expressing his frustration with the debate. “Virat Kohli is scoring in every match, the other player (Babar) is not scoring in any match, so then how can you compare? The man who is scoring, he is the bigger player.”
Kohli, a veteran of Indian cricket, has amassed an astonishing 80 international centuries across all formats, while the younger Babar has 31 centuries to his name. Although he was once hailed as part of cricket’s “Fab Five” alongside Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson, Babar’s recent form has put his place in that elite company in question.
Abbas, often referred to as the “Bradman of Asia” for his elegance and scoring prowess during his playing days, also took time to praise the Indian cricket team, which he said is poised for success in the upcoming international tournaments. He highlighted the Indian team’s poise and thoughtful approach to the game under captain Rohit Sharma.
“INDIAN TEAM IS VERY GOOD”
“The Indian team as a whole is very good. Their batsmen are doing well and their bowlers are also strong. It is a very balanced team that plays soch samajh kar (thoughtful),” Abbas said. “They have a very good captain who understands cricket very well. When everything goes in your favour, everything goes smoothly and that is the case with India right now.”
Abbas was particularly bullish on India’s chances in the upcoming Champions Trophy, predicting that their balanced squad gives them a strong chance of lifting the trophy. “There is a very good chance they will do well because they have a balanced squad,” the 77-year-old said.
Zaheer Abbas also spoke passionately about the importance of Test cricket in today’s fast-paced era dominated by T20 cricket. The former Pakistan captain believes that while the shorter formats are fun, Test cricket remains the truest test of a player’s skill, technique and mental strength.
“Test cricket is real cricket. It really tests the character, stamina, mental strength and consistency of the players,” Abbas said. He reflected on the days when both India and Pakistan had strong Test teams and expressed hope that cricket boards around the world are beginning to realize the value of preserving the longest format of the game.
“How many T20s can you play? How many white ball tournaments can the ICC organize? Maybe two or three, but eventually you have to go back to ODIs or Tests. If you continue Test cricket, the game will last longer,” he remarked.
Abbas believes that while fans may currently be enamored with the quick results of T20 cricket, they may eventually tire of the format, reinforcing the need for the traditional formats – ODIs and Tests – to remain at the heart of the sport.
