Babar and Kohli shouldn't be mentioned in the same line: Ashwin

India’s ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels Babar Azam "should not be mentioned in the same line" as Indian batting star Virat Kohli. The 38-year-old rates Babar very highly but thinks Kohli is on a completely different level.

Babar has been Pakistan’s best batter in the last few years but hasn’t been in great form in Test cricket of late. It’s been 18 innings since the right-handed batter has crossed the 50-run mark in red-ball cricket. As a result, he has been “rested” for the last two Tests against England. 

Kamran Ghulam got a chance to bat at No.4 in the second Test against England and slammed a century on debut. Ashwin, however, has backed Babar to come good sooner or later but doesn’t want people to compare him with Kohli.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, "Definitely, if he is given a chance, he will score runs. If there is class, that is okay. I feel we should end this debate once and for all. First of all, across the border, Babar Azam and Virat Kohli shouldn't be mentioned in the same line.

"I am very sorry, I really rate Babar Azam as an outstanding player, but Virat Kohli's credentials are something else. Across terrains, across times, across pressure situations, the kind of heists he has done, no one has done that in world cricket. As far as I know, at this point, if anyone comes close, it is Joe Root in Test cricket.”

Babar is still averaging 43.92 in Test cricket, but his numbers in white-ball cricket are far more impressive. In the 50-over format, the right-hander has 5,729 runs in 114 innings at an average of 56.72. Babar also has 4,145 runs in 123 T20Is at an average of 41.03 and a strike rate of 129.08.

Meanwhile, Kohli has over 27,000 runs in international cricket. The batting maestro has 80 centuries and 140 fifties to his name. 

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