The 82nd Test innings of Babar Azam came to an end after scoring a fantastic 150 in the first innings of the opening Test match against New Zealand.
The all-format captain took the crease at a time when the home side was struggling at 48 for 3, but his well-established innings led Pakistan to 318 for 6.
Cricket fans across the world, particularly in the sub-continent, compare Babar Azam, with Indian batting great, Virat Kohli, for his consistency across formats.
However, when the stats of both cricketers’ first 82 Test innings are compared, Babar Azam has an advantage over Virat in terms of average, runs, and fifties.
After 82 Test innings, the former Indian captain had 3,554 runs at an average of 45.56 while the Lahore-born cricketer has 3,631 runs at an average of 50.43.
Interestingly, the all-format captain has more half-centuries than the former Indian captain’s fifties and hundreds combined after 82 Test innings.
Babar Azam has nine centuries and 26 fifties under his belt while Virat Kohli scored 13 centuries and 12 fifties after completing his 82nd Test innings.
| Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s | |
| Babar Azam | 82 | 3,631 | 50.43 | 9 | 26 |
| Virat Kohli | 82 | 3,554 | 45.56 | 13 | 12 |
Talking about the match, Pakistan lost Babar Azam early in the first session of the second day.
Do a home and away comparison and match winning knocks under pressure