Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli comparisons are baseless: Brad Hogg

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg shunned comparisons between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli after the former was dropped from the Pakistan Test side. Hogg said that dropping Babar was the right call from Pakistan.

In Short

• Babar Azam was dropped from the Test team
• Babar fans argued that he should not have been dropped
• Babar fans argued that he should not have been dropped

One should not compare Babar Azam's off form to Virat Kohli's, said former Australia spinner Brad Hogg. The spinner's comments come after Babar Azam fans flocked to social media after batter got dropped from the Test team and argued against the moving using the example of Virat Kohli.

Even Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman took to Twitter to state that India never dropped Kohli when he was going through a rough patch between 2020-2023. Fakhar called Babar as one of the best batters that Pakistan had ever produced and said that dropping the player would send a negative message to the team.

"It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them," Fakhar said.

However, former Australia spinner Brad Hogg had a completely different take on the matter and said that Babar and Virat's lows should not be compared as Pakistan cricket team's results are starkly different to Indian teams.

Hogg pointed out that during Virat's lows, India were the second best team in the world, while during Babar's lows, Pakistan are the second-worst. Hogg believed that tough calls needed to be taken in difficult times.

"Comparing bad form between Babar Azam & Kohli after rumours the Pakistan legend will be dropped for the 2nd test v England is baseless. India: 2nd best win % during Kohli's draught. Pakistan: 2nd worst win % through Babar's. Hard decisions need to be made!" Hogg said.

Babar Azam has been in a terrible patch of form, not only in Tests but in ODIs and T20Is as well. Babar has not been able to score a fifty in his last 18 innings in Test cricket and was woeful in the T20 World Cup 2024 as well.

In the previous match against England, Babar got out after being challenged on both his outside and inside edge and was not able to score big runs on an absolutely flat pitch in Multan.