"The comparisons are pointless, Virat Kohli scores in every match, Babar doesn't score in any match" - Zaheer Abbas

Former Pakistan batter Zaheer Abbas dismissed the Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam comparisons by stating the Indian star is way ahead of his Pakistan rival in terms of batting accomplishments and consistency. Despite Kohli starting his career much earlier than Babar, fan wars for the best current batter across formats have become commonplace.

Kohli has scored over 27,000 runs in his illustrious international career with 80 centuries while Babar is closing in on 14,000 runs with 31 centuries. Yet, the duo have each struggled in the ongoing 2024 season, with the former averaging under 22 and the latter in the lower 30s.

However, Kohli had a sensational 2023 with an average of 66.06 while Babar averaged under 40.

In a conversation at the Cricket Predicta Conclave in Ajman, Abbas said, as quoted by Cricket Pakistan:

"The comparisons are pointless, Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player (Babar) doesn't score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores, he is the bigger player."

Abbas also felt Babar must be dropped from the side due to his poor form over the last while.

"Babar Azam should be dropped from the team. If he's not scoring runs, because if he's our main batsman and he's out of form, he should be out of the team," added Abbas.

The Kohli-Babar comparisons have become further one-sided beacuse of the contrasting results of their respective sides.

While India have been dominating world cricket as the No.1 Test side and finishing winners and runners-up in the 2024 T20 and 2023 ODI World Cups, Pakistan have endured dismal recent results.

They suffered a humiliating 0-2 home Test series defeat to Bangladesh before which they were eliminated in the first round and pre-semi-final in the 2024 T20 and 2023 50-over World Cups, respectively.

How Babar Azam and Virat Kohli have fared in their most recent series

India v Pakistan - ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 - Source: Getty

Both Virat Kohli and Babar Azam's most recent batting stints came in a two-Test home series against Bangladesh.

While neither lived up to their true calibre, King Kohli fared better than the Pakistan white-ball skipper. The veteran Indian batter scored 99 runs at an average of 33 in the two Tests as India completed a comfortable 2-0 series win.

Meanwhile, Babar endured a dismal run during Pakistan's forgettable 0-2 series loss to Bangladesh, scoring 64 runs in four innings at an average of 16.

While Kohli will be in action next during the New Zealand Tests at home from October 16, Babar will feature in the first Test against England, which starts in Multan on October 7.