RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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'Look at your Virat Kohli': Ex-Pakistan star drags India legend's record in England to slam Dinesh Karthik for his Babar Azam comment originally appeared on Cricket News .
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Tanveer Ahmed hit back at Dinesh Karthik over his comments on Babar Azam.
The former Pakistan pacer pointed to Virat Kohli's Test record in England.
Babar Azam missed the first Test at Headingley through a hand injury.
Ex-Pakistan star drags Virat Kohli's record in England to slam Dinesh Karthik for Babar Azam comment
The Virat Kohli and Babar Azam comparison has produced more heat than light for the best part of a decade, and former Pakistan pacer Tanveer Ahmed has now used it to fire back at one of India's most prominent voices.
Ahmed has accused Dinesh Karthik of talking down Babar for engagement rather than cricketing reasons.
The exchange comes with Pakistan reeling in England after an innings-and-103-run defeat at Headingley, where they were bowled out for 171 and 135 without Babar, who missed the match after being struck on the hand in a warm-up fixture.
Karthik has been a consistent critic of the Pakistan batter, having earlier described Babar's dismissal against India at the T20 World Cup as submission and stating he could not imagine Kohli playing a similar shot in that situation.
MORE: ENG vs PAK 2nd Test predicted playing XI: Likely Pakistan and England lineups as Babar Azan remains doubtful
Why Tanveer Ahmed called out Dinesh Karthik over Babar Azam
Tanveer questioned the motivation behind the constant scrutiny of Babar, framing it as a content-driven exercise rather than a genuine analysis.
"Why is it being run? Because they want the views," Tanveer said . "Babar Azam is Pakistan's top brand. Nasser Hussain said Pakistan will improve once Babar returns, but you said he's out of form."
Tanveer Ahmed calls out Dinesh Karthik “Babar Azam is Pakistan’s top brand. Nasser Hussain said Pakistan will improve once Babar returns, but you said he’s out of form Kohli averages 33 in 17 Tests in England; Babar 65 in 4. Look at Kohli first. They talk about Babar for views” https://t.co/FrNDhaswVN pic.twitter.com/STau8eXvqb
— Pavilion Post (@CricinsightsX) August 25, 2026 He then turned to statistics to make his case, arguing that Kohli's own record in English conditions undercuts the comparison being drawn. "Kohli averages 33 in 17 Tests in England; Babar 65 in 4. Look at Kohli first. They talk about Babar for views," Tanveer added.
The figures he cites reflect Kohli's contrasting fortunes in England, where a disastrous 2014 tour that brought just 134 runs across five Tests at 13.40 has weighed heavily on his overall average there, despite a superb 593-run haul on the 2018 visit.
MORE: 'He’ll come back at Lord’s': Broad backs Babar Azam return for 2nd Test
Why Tanveer's point lands but the framing is questionable
There is a legitimate argument buried in the outburst. Babar's returns in England genuinely stand up, and Nasser Hussain's suggestion that Pakistan would be stronger for his return is a reasonable read on a batting order that managed one meaningful partnership across the entire Headingley Test.
The case weakens in its selective use of numbers. Comparing four Tests against 17 flatters the smaller sample enormously, and Kohli's overall Test record of more than 9,000 runs across every condition is not seriously challenged by a single tour going badly a decade ago.
Tanveer is right that the Kohli-Babar comparison has become tiresome and driven as much by algorithms as analysis, but responding with a differently skewed set of statistics does little to elevate the conversation.
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