Asia Cup 2023: In Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam 'Shoot-out Match', Pakistan Star Leading: Ex-Chennai Super Kings Star

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam have been two of the most celebrated batters among the modern-day greats. The sub-continent players have impressed in all three formats. Virat Kohli has so far played 111 Tests (8676 runs, average 49.29), 279 ODIs (13027 runs, average 57.38) and 115 T20Is (4008 runs, average 52.73). Pakistan captain Babar Azam, on the other hand, has so far played 49 tests (3772 runs, average 47.74), 107 ODIs (5380 runs, 58.47 average) and 104 T20Is (3485 runs, Average 41.48). Though Babar Azam is relatively much younger between the two, a comparison between has always dominated the narrative.

Australia great Matthew Hayden, who has played in the Indian Premier League for MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings, has an interesting take on their comparison.

"Babar Azam is a champion. He comes back from these things time and time again because that's what champions do. When you think about the statistical comparison at the same stage, Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam, Babar Azam is actually leading that shoot-out match," Matthew Hayden, former Australia opener, told Star Sports, according to OneCricket.

"So that's how significant he is to the Pakistani team lineup and I am sure that he can do it in this shoot-out against Sri Lanka. Babar is central not only because he is the captain but he is absolutely central in terms of the talent of that batting unit."

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam recently claimed the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the third time, bagging the award for August 2023. Babar who currently sits comfortably at the summit of the ODI rankings continued to impress with bat in the month of August.

His richness of form was reflected in his performances as he struck two fifties and a century. In Pakistan's ODI