Former Australian Chinaman bowler Brad Hogg is known for sharing his quirky views with his fans and in his recently released his current best Test XI, fanned the fire in the debate of who is better- Virat Kohli or Babar Azam?

The Best Test XI which featured the likes of Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and even Ajinkya Rahane in the list of batsmen, Hogg preferred Pakistan’s Babar Azam over Indian captain Virat Kohli.

However, Hogg had a very specific reason to leave out one of the best batsmen of his current generation.

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“Everyone will ask why Virat Kohli is not in this team?” he said. “But if you look at his last 15 Test innings, only four times he has gone over 31 [runs]. That’s why Virat Kohli is not my Test team this year”, the 49-year-old said.

As for picking Babar Azam over Kohli, Hogg mentioned his amazing ton against Australia in the Brisbane Test match. “The reason why I have included Babar Azam in the lineup is that he scored a hundred against Australia in Brisbane when Pakistan toured Australia last year,” said Hogg. “It’s very hard for overseas teams to perform on that particular wicket but he showed that he could and that is why he is one of the best players going around,” Hogg said.

Hogg has definitely stirred a hornet’s nest with his pick for his current Test XI, as he left out Kohli who has over 7,000 runs in 86 Tests with 27 centuries at an average of 53.60.

He has Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma opening the innings, with Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Azam, and Rahane holding the middle order. Quinton de Kock was named captain and wicketkeeper of the team. 

Nathan Lyon was chosen as the sole spinner in the XI, while Mohammad Shami, Pat Cummins, and Neil Wagner were the chosen fast bowlers. 

Brad Hogg’s current Test XI:
Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Babar Azam, Ajinkya Rahane, Quinton De Kock (C/WK), Pat Cummins, Mohammad Shami, Neil Wagner, Nathan Lyon