“Adds extra pressure” - Ahmed Shehzad says ‘unfair’ comparison to Virat Kohli reason behind Babar Azam’s downfall

Babar Azam’s wait for an international century continued as he was dismissed for 9 runs in the third and final ODI between West Indies and Pakistan in Tarouba on August 12, 2025. Babar Azam was dismissed LBW by Jayden Seales as Pakistan was shot out for 92 runs chasing 294 runs to win.

The West Indies, thanks to 120* by captain Shai Hope and 6/18 by Seales, sealed a 202-run win in the deciding ODI to pocket the series 2-1.

Babar Azam made 47, 0, and 9 in the three ODIs, scoring 56 runs in all, and his wait for an international century has extended beyond 700 days. Azam’s last ODI century came against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup, and since then, he has not managed to pass the three-digit score in any of the three formats.

Ahmed Shehzad, a former Pakistani player, ended the frequent comparisons between the Pakistani batter and Virat Kohli. He stated in a recent interview that Kohli and Babar Azam shouldn't be compared.

‘Don’t compare two players.’- Shehzad says Virat Kohli is incomparable; it's unfair to Babar Azam

Babar Azam is considered to be one of the greats in the modern era by some. The cricket community frequently compares Virat Kohli with Babar Azam because of the star batter's achievements on the big stage. The Pakistani superstar's protracted slump is beginning to raise concerns, even though the former Indian captain has left a lasting legacy in cricket history.

Babar Azam's struggles persisted in the just-concluded ODI series against the West Indies. Ahmed Shehzad, a former cricket player for Pakistan, attacked the Kohli-Babar comparisons on his YouTube channel, claiming that they just put needless pressure on the Pakistani player.

“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. He is a legend of this generation, a role model,” Shehzad said on his YouTube channel.

“You cannot compare him even 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 added.

The batsman, who struggled for 72 innings without a single century, scored his final century against Nepal in 2023. Babar Azam's batting average in ODIs, which was formerly thought to be his strongest format, has dropped to 30.36 this year.

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