Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has said that Virat Kohli’s fitness is higher and better than that of Pakistan captain Babar Azam in an interview with the Times of India. The comparison between Kohli and Azam has been done consistently for the last 3-4 years.

This is despite Kohli having made his international debut for India in 2008, while Azam made his Pakistan debut in 2015.

Virat Kohli has played 108 Tests, scoring 8416 runs at an average of 48.93 with 28 centuries and 38 fifties with a best score of 254*. He has also played 274 ODIs with 12898 runs with 46 centuries and 65 fifties at an average of 57.32 and a highest score of 183*.

In 115 T20Is, Kohli has made 4008 runs with one ton and 37 half-centuries with the highest score of 122* at an average of 52.73.

When compared, Babar Azam has 3696 runs in 47 Tests with 9 centuries and 26 fifties with the best score of 196. In 95 ODIs, he has 4813 runs with 17 tons and 24 fifties at an average of 59.41 and the best score of 158. Babar in T20Is has made 3355 runs in 99 matches with an average of 41.41 and 2 centuries and 30 fifties with a best score of 122.

Virat Kohli Is An Outstanding And Fantastic Player, Babar Azam Is Pakistan’s Number One Player: Abdul Razzaq  

When asked about the Virat Kohli v Babar Azam debate, Abdul Razzaq said during an interview with Times of India, that Kohli’s fitness is way better than Babar’s.

“Virat is an outstanding and fantastic player. The best part is that he takes his team along. His intent is always positive. He utilises 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’s. Babar needs to work more on his fitness.

Babar is Pakistan’s number one player. Babar is in fact the world number 1 batter (ODIs). Be it in any format of the game, Test, ODI, or T20I, he has been consistently performing well. Every country has one player like them (Virat and Babar),” Razzaq said.

“We don’t need to compare them. It’s like asking, who is better – Kapil Dev or Imran Khan? These comparisons are not good. Kohli is a good player in India. Similarly, Babar Azam is a good player in Pakistan. Kohli is a world-class player, Babar is too. But Kohli’s fitness is way better than Babar’s,” he added.

Virat Kohli had recently regained his form with the bat after more than three years of the drought of centuries. He scored his maiden ton in T20Is against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022, scored three centuries in ODIs, against Bangladesh and New Zealand, and scored a brilliant 186 against Australia in recent Tests.

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