"Babar Azam's fitness is not like that of Virat Kohli" - Abdul Razzaq
Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq reckons Virat Kohli's fitness levels remain unmatched in world cricket today. While Razzaq acknowledged Babar Azam's consistency across formats, he feels the Pakistan captain must work on improving his fitness levels.
Fans and experts across the globe have compared Babar and Kohli from time to time. Kohli, the former Indian captain, has arguably established himself as a modern-day great and will retire with several records under his belt.
Meanwhile, Babar has rapidly become one of the best all-format players today and has a bright future.
When asked about his opinion on the Kohli vs Babar debate, the 43-year-old said he doesn't believe in comparison as both are their country's best players. However, Razzaq reckons Kohli is a well-rounded cricketer as he drags the team alongside him and thinks Babar can take inspiration from his fitness levels.
Speaking to the Times of India, he said:
"Virat is an outstanding and fantastic player. The best part is that he takes his team along. His intent is always positive. He utilizes his skills very well. The main thing is that his fitness is world-class. Babar Azam's fitness is not like that of Virat Kohli. Babar needs to work more on his fitness. Babar is Pakistan's number one player.
"Be it in any format of the game, Test, ODI, or T20, he has been consistently performing well. Every player has one player like them. We don't need to compare them. It's like asking who is better - Kapil Dev or Imran Khan? These comparisons are not good."
Speaking to Star Sports last August, Kohli praised the Pakistan captain's consistency and expressed how much he loves watching him play. Babar backed Kohli during his lean patch via Twitter with the words, "This too shall pass. Stay Strong."
"My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way" - Abdul Razzaq
The former seam-bowling all-rounder defended his comments while comparing Hardik Pandya to Kapil Dev, stating that he only meant there is scope for improvement. Razzaq reckons Hardik is a critical player for India, given his ability to perform well under pressure. He said:
"My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way. I didn't mean it. As a cricketer, I just said there is scope for improvement in him. I didn't comment on a player who is from India, Australia, or England. The best part about Hardik is he is very strong both mentally and physically.
"He is fit. This drives him forward. He hits the ball cleanly. He takes wickets at crucial junctures. You send him in to bowl, he will take wickets. You send him out to bat and he will score runs for you. He is a match-winner."
With the international season done for India, the players will now participate in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts on March 31.