'PAK legend criticizes Babar Azam for lack of consistency, calls for changes in the team'

Pakistan legend Zaheer Abbas did not hold back in expressing his opinion on the comparisons between Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. Abbas strongly criticized those who were comparing the two batsmen and went as far as to suggest that Babar should be dropped from the team due to his recent lackluster performances with the bat. The Pakistan white-ball captain has been under scrutiny recently for his poor form, particularly in crucial tournaments. Pakistan's inability to make it to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup last year and their early exit from the group stage of the T20 World Cup under Babar's captaincy have increased pressure on him. Abbas' frank assessment highlights the growing frustration among fans and experts regarding Babar's captaincy and batting form. It remains to be seen how Babar responds to this criticism and whether he can turn his fortunes around in the near future.

Babar recently slipped out of the top 10 of the ICC Test rankings as he has not scored a fifty in the last 16 innings. The last time he got past the 50-run mark was in December 2022 against New Zealand with a 161-run knock.

On the other hand, Kohli continues to be the backbone of the Indian team in both Tests and ODIs. He announced his retirement from T20Is after a match-winning knock in the T20 WC final earlier this year.

Abbar ripped apart Babar and said there should be no comparison of him with Kohli, who scores in every match for India.

"The comparisons are pointless, Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player (Babar) doesn't score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores, he is the bigger player. Babar Azam should be dropped from the team. If he's not scoring runs, because if he's our main batsman and he's out of form, he should be out of the team," Abbas said during the Cricket Predicta Conclave.

Abbar further praised the Indian team for their consistent performances across formats and credited skipper Rohit Sharma for building a strong and balanced unit.

"The Indian team overall is very good. Their batters are doing well, and the bowlers are strong too. It is a very balanced team, one that plays soch samajh kar (thoughtfully). They have a very good captain who understands cricket very well. When everything is going in your favour, it is smooth sailing, and that's the case with India right now," he added.