Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli: Who's the Best Batter in 2026?

Whenever two great players face off in cricket, it sparks debate among fans and experts. The Babar Azam vs. Virat Kohli rivalry has been a hot topic for the past few years. But now that we're in 2026, the careers of both great batsmen have reached a new level.

Virat Kohli, who has now taken a break from international T20I and Test cricket to focus solely on ODI cricket and franchise leagues, remains in his element. Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam is displaying his groundbreaking skills in all three formats.

In this mega blog post, we will take a deep look at both their real-time international stats (Test, ODI, T20) in 2026 and their franchise records i.e., IPL and PSL 2026 performance. Finally, we will also see how many matches both have won for their teams in their respective leagues.

The One-Day International (ODI) Battle in 2026

The One-Day International (ODI) format has always been a favorite format for both batsmen. As India and Pakistan began preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in 2026 and the remaining bilateral series, both great players played a key role for their teams. However, when we look at the statistics and impact, a clear line emerges between the two.

Virat Kohli's

The year 2026 has been a successful one for King Kohli. Although he has now reduced his exposure to other formats, his impact in ODIs is still far ahead of any other batsman in the world. He has scored 310 runs in 5 innings so far in 2026.

During this period, Kohli's batting average has been 62.00, and his strike rate has been 103.33. He played brilliant innings at Edgbaston and Cardiff during the difficult tour of England, which included a brilliant century (124 runs) and two half-centuries. Kohli's 100+ strike rate shows that he has sped up his game to suit modern-day ODI cricket, a form reflected in his current #2 spot in the ICC Men's ODI Rankings.

Babar Azam's

On the other hand, Pakistan's batting backbone, Babar Azam, has had a somewhat daunting start to the 2026 ODI season. He has so far played three innings in matches against Australia and other teams, scoring 125 runs.

Babar Azam's batting average this year is 41.67, which is a bit low for his standards. The biggest issue is his strike rate, which is only 64.43. In modern ODI cricket, where teams like to play fast in the first 10 overs, Babar's daunting style raises some questions. He may have made a 50, but he will have to pay a lot to his raiders.

ODI Statistical Summary Table (2026)

The T20 International

The year 2026 is very important in T20I cricket because the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled for that year. However, there is a significant difference in the international T20 status of both players.

Virat Kohli's

Virat Kohli officially retired from International T20Is after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. Therefore, he has no official T20 International match or run record in 2026. His entire focus is now on the ODI format internationally and the IPL domestically.

Babar Azam's

Babar Azam is an integral part of Pakistan's T20I team and has played a lot of matches in the preparation for the World Cup. If we talk about his overall T20Is, he is Pakistan's leading run-scorer so far with 4,500+ runs.

In the year 2026, Babar Azam has played multi-nation and bilateral T20 matches, where he has scored 289 runs in 14 innings in ordinary T20 matches (Other T20s), where his average has been 26.27. There have been some ups and downs in his form, but his real brilliance was seen more in PSL 2026 than in international matches, which we will discuss further.

T20I Winner Verdict: Direct international comparison cannot be made in this format because Kohli has retired, but being an active player, Babar Azam's dominance remains intact.

Test Cricket - Red Ball Excellence in 2026

Test cricket is considered the real cricket, where a batsman's technique, patience, and tenacity are tested. The scenario for red-ball cricket in 2026 was of interest to both players.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been away from Test cricket since the beginning of 2025 and did not play a Test match for India in 2026. His career is now focused on enhancing his limited-overs legacy.

Babar Azam's

Babar Azam continues to play red-ball cricket for Pakistan. So far in 2026, he has played two Test innings and scored 115 runs. His batting average during this period has been an impressive 57.50.

He has handled innings in difficult conditions with his renowned classical technique and timing. Although the number of Test matches for Pakistan is decreasing this year, Babar has proved himself whenever he has got the opportunity.

Test Winner Verdict: Babar Azam is ahead in 2026 due to being active and maintaining an excellent average of 57.50.

Franchise Cricket Face-Off - IPL 2026 vs PSL 2026

Now let's talk about the place where both batsmen made the most impact in 2026: Franchise Cricket leagues. Virat Kohli played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), while Babar Azam captained Peshawar Zalmi (PZ).

The stats of both this year are among the best league stats of their careers.

Virat Kohli's Unreal IPL 2026 Season

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's King Kohli completely made the IPL 2026 season his own. He played 16 innings in the entire tournament and scored a mountain of 675 runs.

Kohli's batting average was 56.25, while his strike rate was one of the best strike rates of his career at 165.84! He also created the record for scoring the fastest half-century this season and remained at the top in the race for the Orange Cap. Due to his aggressive approach and fast play, RCB dominated this year.

Babar Azam's Record-Breaking PSL 2026 Season

If Kohli made waves in the IPL, Babar Azam made history in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026. As captain of Peshawar Zalmi, he scored 588 runs in 11 innings.

Babar's average in the entire league was the best of his life at 73.50! His strike rate was also 145.91, which shows that he has accelerated his T20 game. He also scored his fourth PSL century in the Qualifier match against Islamabad United, taking his team straight to the final.

League Batting Comparison (2026)

Cricket is a team game, and the true test of any great player is how many matches their team has won and whether they have won any titles. In 2026, both players' franchises achieved tremendous success.

Virat Kohli's RCB and the IPL Wins

Virat Kohli's presence during IPL 2026 gave Royal Challengers Bengaluru tremendous momentum. Kohli's brilliant 675 runs helped RCB win 11 matches this season.

The biggest good news for RCB fans was that with this excellent run and winning combination, they performed brilliantly in the playoffs and crucial knockout stages. Kohli-led batting core made its mark in the tournament and won huge matches.

Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi and the PSL Wins

Babar Azam impressed everyone on the tour as the captain of Peshawar Zalmi not only with his batting but also with his brilliant captaincy. Under his leadership, Peshawar Zalmi displayed excellent discipline and team combination throughout the season of PSL 2026, due to which his team won 10 matches in the entire tournament and won the hearts of cricket fans.

The biggest turning point of this wonderful journey was the Qualifier match, where Babar Azam scored a brilliant century and took his team straight to the final. His unique innings and superb captaincy helped Peshawar Zalmi complete one of the most successful and memorable series in the league this year, establishing Babar as a solid and successful leader of franchise cricket.

Who is the Ultimate King in 2026?

Virat Kohli proves to be the ultimate king and the best batsman as per the complete data of the year 2026, international matches, runs, averages, and strike rates.

In International ODI cricket, Virat Kohli is far ahead of Babar Azam due to his excellent average of 62.00 and explosive strike rate of 103.33, whereas in franchise cricket (IPL vs PSL), while Babar Azam's average (73.50) was better in PSL, Virat Kohli scored 675 runs in the tough IPL tournament and his strike rate (165.84) was much more impactful. Even in terms of team wins, Kohli's RCB has 11 wins while Babar Azam's Zalmi has 10 wins, so although Babar Azam has shown great consistency in Tests and PSL, but due to high strike rate, total volume of runs, and heavy impact, Virat Kohli is the real king of this year.

Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli: Year 2026 Comparison