India, April 25 -- Babar Azam's slide has never been only about runs. It has also been about the size of the identity built around him.

For years, Pakistan's premier batter was placed inside a frame that made every innings larger than itself: Babar the run-machine, Babar the captain, Babar the face of Pakistan cricket, and eventually, Babar as the man measured against Virat Kohli.

Former India batter Wasim Jaffer believes that the comparison did not help Babar. Speaking in a video posted on his X handle, Jaffer said Babar remains one of Pakistan's finest batters of this generation, but argued that the constant attempt to put him beside Kohli created unnecessary pressure and pushed expectations beyond his natural space.

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