Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has dismissed comparisons between Pakistan batter Babar Azam and India's Virat Kohli, stating that Babar has been overhyped beyond his limits. In a video posted on his social media handle, Jaffer said, 'Look, he is a good player, there's no doubt about that. I personally like him a lot. But I feel he has been hyped beyond his limits. He was elevated so much that comparisons with Virat Kohli began, and he started being called 'king'.'
Pressure of Comparisons
Jaffer explained that constant comparisons with Kohli and being called 'king' by the media added unnecessary pressure on Babar. 'When you are constantly compared to Virat Kohli and the media calls you 'king', pressure automatically builds. I feel that somewhere he tried to become like Virat - or tried to perform the way Virat has for the Indian team. But Virat is Virat - one of the greatest players of this generation. These unnecessary comparisons kept adding pressure on him,' Jaffer added.
Babar's Recent Form
Babar had been going through a lean patch, struggling for runs, but made a strong comeback by scoring a century for Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. He brought up his hundred in just 52 balls. Babar last represented Pakistan in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he endured a poor run with the bat - one of the reasons behind Pakistan's disappointing campaign. He scored just 91 runs in six matches at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.34, as Pakistan failed to progress beyond the Super Eights stage.
Reasons for Dip in Form
When asked about the reasons behind Babar's dip despite being a highly skilful batter and a cricketing icon in Pakistan, Jaffer pointed to two factors: overhype and captaincy. 'In my view, there were two reasons - one was overhype and comparisons, and the other was captaincy. As a captain, he couldn't build the kind of team he should have. He had opportunities, the team even reached finals - World Cup final, Asia Cup final - but he couldn't consistently take Pakistan cricket to the next level,' Jaffer said.
Babar's Talent and Class
Despite the criticism, Jaffer acknowledged Babar's talent and class. 'Even today, without a doubt, he is one of Pakistan's best batters. He has both talent and class. It's just that if he had handled expectations and pressure a bit better, the picture could have been very different,' Jaffer concluded.
