Former Pakistan skipper Ramiz Raja is of the opinion that Babar Azam has what it takes to beat Virat Kohli if he keeps improving his game and think about scoring runs and winning games for his team. Ramiz Raja also advised Babar Azam to free up his mind and think emphatically at all times.
“He has the potential to even beat Virat Kohli but he needs to free up [his mind] and not think about losing. As soon as he does that and thinks about scoring runs and winning, he will remain a great player for a very long time,” Ramiz said.
“For Babar Azam, [the] sky is the limit. Until and unless he gets the environment which is encouraging and engaging, he won’t be able to live up to his potential,” he added.
Previously, Babar Azam, said that he wants to attain the legend status the the Indian skipper has accomplished, but also said that he has to work very hard if he had to get anywhere close to Virat Kohli
“Look he (Kohli) has already achieved a lot. He is a legend in his country. Honestly there is no comparison with me right now but eventually I also want to get where he is today,” Azam said.
“The media and people have drawn comparisons between me and Virat Kohli but I realise that I still need to get more runs in red ball cricket to be ranked among the top players. That is why in recent months I have been focusing a lot on getting consistent scores in Test matches,” he added.
“I don’t feel any pressure if anyone compares me with Kohli or (Steve) Smith. I am now more focused on my batting and I spend hours watching videos of my innings. I catch my mistakes and then I try to ensure I don’t commit them again the next time,” he said.