Pakistani batsman Babar Azam was dismissed after playing a poor shot against India in the T20 World Cup 2026. Dinesh Karthik subsequently said that comparing him to Virat Kohli doesn't seem fair.

Babar Azam, Virat Kohli

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik said that he doesn't think it's fair to compare Babar Azam to Virat Kohli. He made this comment after Babar Azam's dismissal against India in the T20 World Cup due to a poor shot. It's worth noting that both India and Pakistan have qualified for the Super 8, but are in different groups.

Dinesh Karthik also questioned Babar Azam's shot selection. He played a poor shot and was bowled by Axar Patel, scoring just 5 runs off 7 balls. As a result, he wasn't even promoted to number 5 against Namibia, which was seen as an insult.

What did Dinesh Karthik say?

"I can't imagine Virat Kohli playing a shot like that early in the innings. He doesn't have the confidence to know what to do to win or what to do to take his team closer to victory," Karthik told Cricbuzz. 

When Babar Azam came in to bat at number four, trailing 176 against India, Pakistan was in trouble. The team's most experienced batsman was expected to anchor the innings, but he was bowled by a poor shot. Karthik said that it was Babar's responsibility to lead the team during the chase and handle this pressure situation. Chase master Virat Kohli has done this many times over the years.

Karthik further said, "What makes you great is how much pressure you handle. Not every match can be easy where you just play a few shots." The former Indian cricketer said that Babar is nowhere near being the best batsman in the world.