Gautam Gambhir’s explosive statement, rating Babar Azam above Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma went viral

Gautam Gambhir’s bold statement from the past on Babar Azam has gone massively viral, sparking a heated debate among fans on social media. It’s no secret that Gautam Gambhir is not a fan of the great MS Dhoni, and modern-day legend Virat Kohli is probably second on his list.

Both Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir may have repeatedly stressed that they have a good relationship, but the truth is not hidden from anyone. Before joining the Indian cricket team as the head coach, Gambhir had also put Pakistan’s Babar Azam ahead of Kohli.

Gautam Gambhir created a storm: Babar Azam was rated above Kohli and Rohit

An old statement by Gambhir has reignited the biggest debate in modern cricket: Who is the best batsman of this era? In a viral clip, which has now resurfaced and gone massively viral on social media, the former Indian opener has openly placed Babar Azam in a league whom he believes is above even the biggest superstars of modern times, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

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As expected, this statement drew strong reactions from fans on both sides of the border. Gambhir made this comment before the start of ICC World Cup 2023 in India. He made it clear that Babar is the player he believes can dominate the tournament.

At the time, Gambhir had said that Babar had the ability to easily take the game away from the opposition, citing his calm approach, clean batting style and sharp sense of timing, which makes him different even when compared to other modern greats of the game like Kohli and Rohit.

What did Gautam Gambhir finally say?

Speaking ahead of the ICC World Cup 2023, Gambhir was asked about a potential game-changer, and his response surprised everyone.

He told Star Sports, “I think Babar has the ability to set the World Cup on fire. His batting ability is remarkable, and he has an incredible sense of timing. While we have seen excellent performances from players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, David Warner, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, Babar’s quality is on a completely different level.”

,@GautamGambhir I will keep a keen eye @babarazam258This is the performance of #CWC2023,

Will Babar prove to be the best of the rest on the biggest stage?#WorldCupOnStar#Cricket pic.twitter.com/CwccE3r5JI

– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 23 September 2023

Reference to Gambhir:

Gambhir’s praise came in part due to Babar’s excellent ODI form in 2023, where he scored 745 runs in 16 matches at an average of close to 50. In 15 innings, he has already scored two centuries and six half-centuries, with his highest score being 151.

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Interestingly, Kohli finished the 2023 ODI World Cup as the leading run scorer with 765 runs in 11 matches, and Rohit finished second with 597 runs as the pair helped India reach the final, where they suffered a heart-breaking defeat against Australia.

Whereas Babar was not even in the top 5 in ICC World Cup 2023.

Stats Don’t Lie: Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma – Head-to-Head (ODI)