Babar Azam Is The Top Batsman In The World, Virat Kohli Admits Ahead Of Asia Cup 2023

When asked about the heated rivalry between the players, India's great cricketer Virat Kohli showered admiration on Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in an interview with Crichistory. The Asia Cup 2023 is not far away, and Virat's comments will only give context to the India-Pakistan match on September 2.

Unlike many others who engage in mind games, Virat was content to name Babar the finest in the world right now. The former Indian captain told Crichistory that he saw Babar for the first time at the 2019 ODI World Cup and understood right away that this batter was unique.

Imad Wasim, a Pakistani all-rounder, had arranged the encounter following the India-Pakistan match in the 2019 World Cup. "We sat down and discussed the game.

"From day one, I saw a lot of regard and respect from him, and that hasn't changed," Kohli added. "Regardless, he's probably the best batsman in the world across all formats, and rightly so," Kohli continued.

Kohli did not mince words when he stated that Babar is a constant performer and that he enjoys watching him bat on television.

With 886 points, Babar is now the top-ranked batter in the ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings. There is a significant difference between him and Kohli.

Kohli will try to catch Babar with a strong performance in the Asia Cup 2023, India vs. Australia, and the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023. With 705 points, Kohli is now ranked ninth in the ODI batting rankings.

Babar has matured and grown significantly in the last three years. In T20Is, he is also ranked among the top five batters in the world.

Not to mention that he is now the lone player in the top five batting rankings across all forms. Virat's graph has fallen in the last three years, particularly since the pandemic, but he hopes to win his second World Cup medal after 2011 this year.

He's working hard to improve his game and looked sharp throughout the previous Test series against the West Indies. Asia Cup 2023 will be an excellent preparation tournament for both sides ahead of the World Cup.

On September 2, India and Pakistan will clash in Kandy during the group round of the Asia Cup 2023 event. There's a good probability they'll both advance to the following round and face off again in the Super 4 stage.

If they both make the finals, they could clash for the third time in Asia Cup. On October 14, India and Pakistan will face off in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad.