Babar Azam and Virat Kohli have often been compared thanks to the similarity between their batting styles and former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has pointed out a major flaw in that batting technique which he says Babar must work on.
Babar Azam is the all-format captain of the Pakistan team and their premier batter. He made his debut in 2015 and since then has gone on to break numerous records in white-ball cricket.
He has 3696 runs in 47 Tests with 9 centuries to his name, while in 95 ODIs, he has 4813 runs at an average of 59.41 and 17 centuries. In 102 T20Is, Babar has 3466 runs with 3 centuries and an average of 41.75.
Even in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, Babar scored a magnificent century, his third in T20Is and 9th overall in T20s. With this, he is now joint second with Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is and behind Rohit Sharma, who had 4 centuries, while only Chris Gayle with 22 is ahead of Babar in no.of centuries in T20.
Both Of Them Do Not Take The Entire Foot Forward: Rashid Latif On Flaws In Babar Azam And Virat Kohli’s Batting Techniques
Babar Azam was dismissed for one run by Adam Milne in the third T20I against New Zealand on Monday at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Reacting to the same, while talking to a local news channel, Rashid Latif picked out a weakness in Babar Azam’s batting.
“Babar and Virat Kohli almost face the same problem. Both of them do not take the entire foot forward and strike the ball with the body, rather holding it upwards. Chances of dismissal are higher in the area where the ball swings the most. Even when he [Babar] hit the last stroke to complete his century, the ball crossed over the gully point – so he needs to stay a little cautious in that area,” Latif said.
“Woakes, when he came here for the T20I series, worked on his bowling as well and quickly figured out that if the swing isn’t working, then transitioning it into a slower ball might help you in claiming Babar’s wicket,” he further added.
Pakistan is currently ahead in the series with a margin of 2-1.