Virat Kohli’s performance over the last two years in every format is stupendous. He has been a complete run machine that has churned out runs at an astonishing pace and has drawn comparisons with some of his peers.

Virat has become the part of the new age fab-four which includes Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson and there are comparisons galore between the four batsmen. However, fans from across the border, fans also claim that Pakistan’s Babar Azam should also be included in that list, as he is equal to the Indian captain and run machine.

Pakistan’s coach Mickey Arthur compared Azam to Kohli, but the 23-year-old Azam says “He compared me with a very big player. I think it shouldn't be done. But that is the coach's thinking. Maybe the stats at the start of our careers are similar, but he is the No.1 batsman in the world. I want to perform at a high level for Pakistan too.”

Azam also revealed the batsman he loves to watch and follow.

"I loved watching AB de Villiers in the early days. I used to follow him closely. I copied him a lot too. In the nets, I used to at least try some of the shots he played in the matches. Those hadn't been played back then. I still don't try those shots. I play normally. Nowadays I follow Virat Kohli, Hashim Amla, and of course, de Villiers," said Azam.

Babar Azam has played 36 ODIs so far in his Pakistani career, scoring 1,758 runs at an average of 58.60. He has seven half-centuries and seven hundreds to his name.