Rohit Sharma best batsman in the world, way better than Virat Kohli and Babar Azam: Former Pakistan pacer

There have been plenty of comparisons between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam ever since the latter charted a meteoric rise in international cricket following his debut in 2015, with their cover drives being one of the most hotly-debated topics. According to former Pakistan fast bowler pacer Abdur Rauf Khan, however, India captain Rohit Sharma is a better batter than both of them.

Khan named Rohit, who remains India’s captain in ODIs as well as Tests (at least officially), as the best batter in the world and someone “way better” than Kohli and Babar. This despite stating that there was “no comparison” for Kohli – who along with Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson form the current generation’s ‘Fab Four’.

“Both are great players, but in my opinion, Virat Kohli has no comparison. His class, consistency, and ability to perform under pressure set him apart. Babar Azam, when in form, is exceptional. But personally, my favourite batsman (batter) is Rohit Sharma.

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“I believe Rohit is currently the best batsman in world cricket. He is way better than Virat and Babar,” Khan, who represented Pakistan in three Tests and four ODIs and one T20I, told The Times of India.

Rohit had recently regained his form during the ODI series against England, in which he led Team India to a 3-0 whitewash, smashing a match-winning century in the second game in Cuttack . Kohli would then score a fluent 52 in the third ODI in Ahmedabad.

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Babar, on the other hand, had a somewhat underwhelming run in the ODI triangular series featuring Pakistan and South Africa at home, scoring 62 runs in three outings at an average of 20.66. This was after he replaced Saim Ayub at the top of the order , a position he isn’t as used to as far as One-Day Internationals are concerned.

As for the upcoming Champions Trophy and the marquee showdown between India and Pakistan on 23 February in Dubai, Khan said that the two teams are evenly matched heading into the ninth edition of the ‘Mini World Cup’.

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Khan added that the Men in Blue will be missing the services of senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out due to a back injury.

“You can never predict the outcome of an India vs Pakistan match. It’s always a high-pressure game, and it’s not just India and Pakistan — fans from all over the world are invested in this contest. Both teams are strong, so making a prediction is difficult.

“A month ago, if you had asked me, I would have confidently said that India had the upper hand with Bumrah in the squad. But now, with his absence, it’s much harder to call. He was instrumental in India’s victories in the last Asia Cup and World Cup. At this moment, I believe the teams are evenly matched,” Rauf added.

The Champions Trophy, which returns to action after a hiatus of nearly eight years, will get underway on Wednesday with hosts and defending champions Pakistan facing 2000 champions New Zealand in Karachi.