Virat Kohli and Babar Azam comparison raised its head again after the India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup on Sunday. But Dinesh Karthik gave a honest verdict and called the comparison a “bit unfair”.
When Babar walked out to the crease Pakistan had lost early wickets and it was expected of him to put his best foot forward as a senior batter in the side. His dismissal and the way he got out drew criticism from fans and Karthik alike. The former India wicketkeeper questioned Babar’s shot selection in that situation. The former Pakistan captain perished while trying to slog early in his innings.
“I cannot imagine Virat Kohli playing that shot that early in the innings. That is submission,” Karthik was quoted saying during a show on Cricbuzz. “It is not having belief in what it takes to win or how to take your team closer to victory.”
He explained that if Kohli was there in such kind of situation, he would have looked to rotate the strike and taken the game deep. “That absorption of pressure is what makes greatness,” Karthik said. “Every game cannot be easy where you just come and play a few shots.”
Karthik thought Babar’s shot selection was really poor and should have batted to his strenghts by playing through the covers instead of attempting a slog over the midwicket. “He is better than that,” Karthik said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan are reportedly considering major changes for their crucial must-win match against Namibia, with senior stars Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi expected to be dropped following the loss against India in Colombo.
