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Babar Azam is like Sachin Tendulkar; Virat Kohli can follow him to improve technique: Aaqib Javed

Babar Azam is like Sachin Tendulkar; Virat Kohli can follow him to improve technique: Aaqib Javed

Babar Azam is like Sachin Tendulkar; Virat Kohli can follow him to improve technique: Aaqib Javed

Former Pakistan pacer Aaqib Javed has said that Indian captain Virat Kohli can improve his batting technique by closely following Pakistan batsman Babar Azam. Javed, who is the head coach of Pakistan Super League (PSL) side Lahore Qalandars, compared Babar to Sachin Tendulkar as he said the former doesn’t have many weak areas just like the Master Blaster.

While Javed said Kohli has a better range of shots as compared to Babar, he lacks the correct technique against swing bowlers.

“Virat Kohli has a better range [of shots] as compared to Babar Azam but he also has one area of weakness. If the ball swings, he tends to get trapped around the off-stump such as against [James] Anderson in England,” said Javed in an interview with Cricket Pakistan.

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“When you look at Babar, you don’t see any weak areas. Just like, [Sachin] Tendulkar who also didn’t have any weak areas. Babar is technically more safe and sound but if he follows Kohli’s fitness routine he will become an even better player. Meanwhile, Kohli can improve his t9echnique by looking at Babar so that he doesn’t get trapped,” he added.

Interestingly, this is the same Virat Kohli, who has scored 70 international centuries with the same technique and has been one of the faces of the Indian batting unit for a decade. No wonder social media is having a crack over Javed's latest comments.

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Javed went on to heap praise on Babar for being the mainstay of Pakistan batting line-up over the past couple of years.

“During the past two or three years, Babar Azam is 50 per cent of Pakistan’s batting. I never thought that he would be this consistent and even go past Virat Kohli [in ODI rankings]. Pakistan is very lucky, he came when the team was struggling and has single-handedly put the team on the right track. Even, captaincy hasn’t affected his form,” he concluded.