Is Babar Azam really a better T20 batsman than Virat Kohli?
The India vs Pakistan angle
There is no bigger sporting rivalry in the world than the intense competition between Pakistan and India in cricket. Both sets of fans are very passionate about the game of cricket and always love a debate.
Fans were recently locked in a heated argument over which T20 league was better, the Pakistan Super League or the Indian Premier League. However, it is very hard to compare the leagues themselves, since they are so different.
Yet, when it comes to comparing individual players, this can easily be done by providing reasonable arguments supported by concrete statistics and insightful analysis.
A new debate
The current battleground between Pakistan and India fans has come over who the better T20 player is: Babar Azam or Virat Kohli. Both players have obtained cult status in their respective countries and have inspired millions with their stunning talent.
There is no debate in terms of ODI and Test cricket, as Virat Kohli is vastly superior in those formats. However, in T20 cricket it is a completely different story and a superficial reading could indicate that Azam has a better record than Kohli.
Record in T20Is
In T20 international matches, Babar Azam has scored 691 runs in 19 matches. This is at an average of 53.15 and at a strike rate of 127.49. Azam has four fifties at this level and a high score of 97* (which came against the West Indies yesterday).
Virat Kohli, in comparison, has scored 1,983 runs in 57 T20Is. His average is actually lower than Azam's, it is 50.84 and he has a lower top score of 90*. The one area where Kohli has the advantage is in terms of his strike rate since he has a strike rate of 137.32 which is ten more than his Pakistani counterpart. Thus, in terms of T20 internationals, it seems as if Azam does in fact have the better track record.
However, the question being posed refers to T20 cricket in general, not just in international matches. This means, therefore, that their domestic and franchise T20 performances have to be taken into account. When you account for this, the tables are turned.
Overall T20 record
Azam had a very strong Pakistan Super League, hitting four fifties in his last six innings for the Karachi Kings. Yet, when you take into account all of his previous matches over the years, Azam's overall T20 average comes out to 39.10. His career strike rate is a rather disappointing 118 and he has never hit a hundred in T20 cricket, even in franchise and domestic matches.
Virat Kohli, on the other hand, has a vastly superior T20 record overall. While Azam has played 84 T20s, Kohli has played 228 and averages over 40. Moreover, Kohli has got his runs at a strike rate of 133.16, which is significantly higher than Azam's strike rate.
Moreover, Kohli has hit four centuries (playing in the IPL for the Royal Challengers Bangalore) and has a top score of 113. There is no way in which Azam's overall T20 record is better than Kohli's, Virat's bowling record is also better.
Conclusion
Therefore one can reach the conclusion that while Azam's international record is better, in the grand scheme of T20 cricket, Kohli has the better record. In an interview, Babar Azam said that he resented the comparison between him and Kohli because he said that Kohli was by far the number one batsman in the world.
Both players are very talented and are a joy to watch and this bitter rivalry should not detract from how lucky cricket is to have two exceptional batsmen playing at the same time.