Babar Azam rates Virat Kohli highly despite his poor form with the bat

Former India skipper Virat Kohli is entering the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 with a poor run of form with the bat. From the Indian T20 League 2022 to India's tour of England, he has managed only three fifties across formats. After this, the right-hander took a break from the game and missed the series against the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

Ahead of the tournament, the 33-year-old revealed that he was 'facing mental health issues before going on a break'. Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has recently backed his Indian counterpart. The Lahore-born said that nothing is easy in life and there are challenges everywhere. Azam has said that Kohli is still one of the best batters around the world.

"Nothing is easy in life. There are challenges everywhere. It is up to you how you achieve things in life and how you overcome the challenges you face. Virat is still one of the best batters world cricket," Babar said on the eve of the India-Pakistan clash in Asia Cup 2022.

You need a strong mindset to handle such a phase: Babar Azam

The Pakistan skipper added that it is important how a player competes against someone like Virat Kohli across different conditions. The 2017 Champions Trophy winner pointed out that every player goes through ups and downs. He further said that a player needs a strong mindset to handle a phase such as Kohli's.

"How you compete against a player like him, and that too in different conditions, is very important. Every cricketer, if you ask me, faces ups and downs in their career. It's not that there is only success and no failures. You really need a strong mindset to handle things in life that often do not go in your favour," he added.

Both players will lock horns at the Dubai International Stadium on August 28. It will be interesting to see which one of them doesn't the best for their respective sides.