By Dung Huynh 
So today I got this cricket stats question stuck in my head, right? Babar Azam versus Virat Kohli. Who’s actually got the better numbers? Saw it popping up everywhere, fan wars and all that, so figured let’s dig into it myself and see what pops out.
Getting Started (And Getting Confused)
First thing I did, obviously, grabbed my laptop, sat down with a lukewarm coffee, and opened up the cricket stats websites. Just typed “Babar Azam stats” and “Virat Kohli stats” into the search bar. Simple start.
Pages and pages of numbers stared back at me. Runs, averages, hundreds, strike rates… for Tests, ODIs, T20s. Over different years, different countries, everything. Honestly, it felt a bit like walking into a messy room at first glance. How do you even compare these two? Kohli’s been playing way longer, Babar’s newer but on fire lately.
I decided to break it down format by format. No point chucking everything together.
The ODI Deep Dive
Started with ODIs. Seemed like a good middle ground. Opened two tabs side-by-side. Scrolled down looking for the overall totals.
- Kohli’s Numbers: I swear, my eyes almost popped. Over 13,000 runs?! That’s just insane. Averaging above 50 too. Fifty! Tons of centuries. The consistency hit me hard.
- Babar’s Turn: Fewer matches, for sure. But wait, his average… also hovering around 57-58? Actually higher than Virat’s career number? And he’s scoring runs fast too. Started scribbling notes: “Babar: less time, crazy average, fast scoring.”
Thought: Kohli owns the total volume, Babar might be more efficient right now? But man, those 13k runs… huge.
T20Is – Quick Fire Stats
Switched to T20s. Faster game, different feel.
- Babar’s Numbers: Again, that average! Touching 40+ still in T20s. Saw he had a phase as top-ranked player. Consistent as heck, seems to be his thing.
- Kohli Check: Less matches than ODI, obviously. Average still a solid 50+? That felt crazy high for T20s. Plus, those knockout innings? World Cup moments flashed in my head. Big stage record matters. Made a note: “T20: Both great, Virat clutch in finals?”
Test Cricket – The Real Grind
Then came Tests. The long game.
- Kohli Here: Thousands more runs. Played everywhere. Has conquered tough places like Australia, England. That average holding around 49-50 against all comers. Big experience edge.
- Babar’s Test Card: Still building really. Less than 50 matches. But… once again, average in the 40s. Shows promise, needs more time against everyone everywhere. Can he be dominant overseas consistently? Too early to say.
Felt like the gap between them was most obvious here. Kohli’s sheer volume and experience felt heavy.
Staring at the Messy Notes
Leaned back, took a sip of cold coffee. Stared at my scribbles:
- Kohli: Mountain of runs, longer career, proven everywhere, insane ODI/T20 averages, clutch player.
- Babar: Amazing averages across all formats right now (higher than Virat in ODIs, slightly lower elsewhere), fewer runs, newer, plays fast, Pakistan’s main man.
The question hammered back: “Who has the BETTER record?” Honestly? Felt like a trap!
What Hit Me Hard
It totally depends on how you look at it.
- If you want volume & proven greatness over time: Kohli wins hands down. Those runs, those years…
- If you want crazy current consistency & potential: Babar is right there, batting like a dream across formats. His numbers right now are phenomenal.
Kohli built this enormous castle. Babar is building an amazing palace really fast. Is one better? You’d need a whole army of stat nerds arguing forever.
Just pulling the numbers myself made me appreciate both even more. Didn’t get a simple winner, but got a lot of respect for what each guy is doing. Think I’ll just keep watching both! Better than picking sides.
