Pakistan cricketer slams unfair Babar-Virat comparisons amid form slump
Shehzad said such comparisons are not only unfair but also create unnecessary pressure on players
Former Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has strongly criticised the trend of comparing cricketers, particularly Babar Azam, with modern-day great Virat Kohli.
Speaking in an interview, Shehzad said such comparisons are not only unfair but also create unnecessary pressure on players, something he believes is evident in Babar’s recent form slump.
“When everything was going well, you were running campaigns comparing players. Now that the performances are not coming, you are saying ‘don’t compare two players.’ Why not? Virat Kohli’s comparison cannot be made with anyone in the world,” Shehzad said.
The opening batter also emphasised that comparisons between players from different eras or even contemporaries often do more harm than good.
He argued that such debates not only undermine individual achievements but also create unnecessary expectations for those being compared.
“He is a legend of this generation, a role model. You cannot even compare him with MS Dhoni. Dhoni may have been a great captain, but as a batter, cricketer, and athlete, Kohli stands alone. No one should be compared with anyone because it’s unfair and it adds extra pressure — which we are now seeing on Babar Azam,” he stated.
It is pertinent to mention Babar’s dip in form has been a major talking point in recent months.
He has now gone 72 consecutive international innings without scoring a century, with his last hundred coming against Nepal. Since 2023, no other cricketer has endured a longer drought without reaching three figures.
Adding to that, since 2024, Babar and Mohammad Rizwan are the only batters from full-member nations to maintain a strike rate below 80 in international cricket.
The decline in his form has coincided with a leadership change. Earlier this year, Babar stepped down as Pakistan’s captain across all formats following criticism over team results and his own performances.
The recent ODI series defeat to the West Indies — their first bilateral ODI series loss to the Caribbean side in 34 years — has only intensified scrutiny. Pakistan were bowled out for 92 in the final ODI, losing by a record 202 runs.
Pakistan will now head to the UAE for a tri-nation T20I series against Afghanistan and the UAE, starting on August 29 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and running until September 7.
The Men in Green will then turn their focus to the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled from September 9 to 28.
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