I don't want to be compared with Virat Kohli, says Babar Azam

Pakistan's limited-overs skipper Babar Azam said that he did not want to be compared with the Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Babar Azam felt that Kohli had achieved a lot in his career so far across all three formats and he was still young and still needed to achieve similar goals.

However, he also said that he would like his fans and critics to compare him to some of Pakistan's former great batsmen.

"I don't want to be compared with Virat Kohli. It would be better if people compare me with one of the Pakistani legends like Javed Miandad, Mohammad Yousuf or Younis Khan," Babar Azam told IANS during a teleconference.

We are currently focused on winning the Test series: Babar Azam

International cricket is set to return from July 8 as England will be hosting a three-match Test series followed by a three-match T20I series against West Indies. After this, Pakistan too are set to tour England for a three-match Test series and an equal number of T20Is.

Babar Azam stressed the importance of living in the present and focusing on the Test series first. The last time Pakistan toured England, they drew the series 2-2 and Babar Azam was hopeful that this time Pakistan could go one step better and could try to win the series.

Babar Azam also believed that Pakistan's young pace attack had the potential to trouble England's fragile top-order.

"We performed well on our previous tour of England which is why the players are eagerly looking forward to the series," he said. "We are currently focused on winning the Test series as that is our first goal on the tour. England have the home advantage but our bowlers will give tough time to their batsmen. We will target their fragile Test top-order. Mohammad Abbas is experienced while Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi have a lot of potential. We have high expectations from our bowlers," Babar Azam asserted.