"Abdullah Shafique, who has played 19 Tests, has a better record than Virat Kohli" - Shan Masood defends Pakistan opener amid poor form
Pakistan Test skipper Shan Masood has drawn a brave comparison between the out-of-form Abdullah Shafique and legendary Indian batter Virat Kohli ahead of the upcoming home series against England. Masood defended Shafique's horror run with the bat which has seen him averaging seven in Tests in 2024, including three ducks.
Pakistan are under immense pressure after losing five matches on the trot and hampering their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Another series thumping at home by a rampant England side could lead to dire consequences from top to bottom.
During the pre-series press conference, Masood was tackled with a question by a journalist who demanded to know why Abdullah Shafique has been preferred over Kamran Ghulam, who averages close to 50 in first-class cricket.
In reply, Masood disagreed with claims that Shafique should be dropped, noting that the team's form has also taken a hit during the same timeframe. He tried to drive his point home by proclaiming that Shafique had a better start to his career than Virat Kohli did.
"With all due respect, I don't think your question is accurate...I agree that Pakistan hasn't played good cricket in 2024. Things should be looked at objectively. You talk about stats. The other day I was reading a stat that Abdullah Shafique, who has played 19 Tests, has a better record than Virat Kohli," Masood said
Pakistan are scheduled to host England for a three-match Test series, beginning on Monday, October 7, in Multan.
Abdullah Shafique averages 40.35 after first 19 appearances, while Kohli averaged 40.62
The Pakistan opening batter made a strong start to his Test career since his debut in 2021. He scored twin fifties on his debut and averaged 72 after his first six matches. However, since December 2022, his numbers have taken a serious dip.
Barring a double hundred against Sri Lanka, Shafique does not have much to show for, and his current numbers after 19 Tests (36 innings), read 1372 runs at an average of 40.35. It is to be noted that out of those 19 Tests, only three have come outside of the subcontinent.
Virta Kohli, on the other hand, in the same timeframe at the start of his career, recorded 1178 runs at an average of 40.62 in 32 innings. (As per Times of India) The ace batter played seven Tests away from home in his first 19 appearances and had also recorded a ton in Australia (116 in Adelaide) by this point.