Shoaib Akhtar makes his call on Babar Azam and Kohli comparisons

Former Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar recently took to Twitter to talk about batsman Babar Azam. He was keen on talking about the recent comparisons drawn by head coach Mickey Arthur between Azam and Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli. Akhtar asked his fans about their opinion on the comparison. He later gave his judgment on what he thinks is the right way to assess the comparison.

Pakistan team head coach Mickey Arthur recently said that Babar Azam has the potential to be as good as Virat Kohli. Azam has been in fine form in recent time following back to back centuries in the ODIs against the West Indies. Azam followed this performance with some tremendous batting in the subsequent Test series that followed.

Even in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand, Azam looked solid as the Pakistani team crashed to a 2-0 defeat. Azam has been in decent form, especially following his well-constructed innings of 90 against a fiery New Zealand attack at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Mickey Arthur, pleased with the young man, had quoted, “I’ll go so far as to say, at the same age, I reckon, he’s as good as Virat Kohli, which I know that’s high praise but he’s right up there.”

In his first tweet, Shoaib Akhtar asked his fans what they opined about the words of Arthur. He wrote, “Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur feels our own Babar Azam is as good as Virat Kohli. Do u guys agree? I will surely share my take soon.”

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur feels our own Babar Azam is as good as Virat Kohli. Do u guys agree? I will surely share my take soon.

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 2, 2016

Shoaib Akhtar then mentioned that it is always nice to make healthy comparisons. He, however, added that it is time to let Babar Azam continue to play his natural game and not get templated by such comparisons. He tweeted, “My feeling about Babar Azam-Virat Kohli comparison is dat it’s very well to praise a young talent but let’s not template him. Let him flow.”

My feeling about Babar Azam-Virat Kohli comparison is dat it's very well to praise a young talent but let's not template him. Let him flow.

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 2, 2016

In another tweet, he reckoned that Babar Azam might soon turn out to be better than Kohli. He wants the player to enjoy his time at the middle. He feels it is too early for Azam to be compared to Kohli. He wrote, “Besides it’s way 2 early 2compare a young boy who is finding feet in international cricket. U never kno he may turn out better dan Kohli!!!”

Besides it's way 2 early 2compare a young boy who is finding feet in international cricket. U never kno he may turn out better dan Kohli!!!

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 2, 2016