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[WATCH] When Shoaib Malik Helped Virat And Babar Overcome Batting Struggles

image-lrlwtl6zVirat Kohli and Babar Azam during the 2021 T20 World Cup (x.com)

Modern-day batting icons Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, despite their legendary status, often seem to struggle against off-spinners. The two cricketers and their shortcomings were once dissected by none other than former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who shared an invaluable advice for both Kohli and Babar in a bid to improve their playing techniques.

When Shoaib Malik helped Virat Kohli and Babar Azam

Back during the 2023 World Cup in India, former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik demonstrated Virat Kohli and Babar Azam’s playing techniques and offered valuable suggestions to help them counter off-spinners.

Providing expert analysis on A Sports alongside Pakistan legends Wasim Akram, Moin Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, Malik claimed that Virat and Babar’s difficulty in facing off-spinners is due to the positioning of their front and back legs in different scenarios. He said:

“As per the stance, the moment the front leg (left leg) of the right-hand batsman will go crossway, the off-spinners will give you a tough time. Both Babar and Virat face the same issue. Virat manages to reduce the pressure by somehow playing the big shots. If Babar also starts playing big, he will be better-off.”

Shoaib Malik himself was widely considered as one of the best combatants of spin bowling regardless of playing conditions. The former ‘Men in Green’ captain represented his country in 35 Tests, 287 ODIs and 124 T20I matches, tallying nearly 12,000 runs across all international formats.

While Malik played the last of his international matches for Pakistan back in November 2021, he continues to ply his trade through prominent T20 leagues across the globe.