Babar Azam misses out on Chopra's list of top five T20 batters

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has named his top five T20 batters based on their recent performances in 2022.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was not included on the list, as Chopra cited Azam's low average and strike rate as the reasons for his exclusion. 

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"Going by the stats, Babar Azam should be the No.5, but I am not including him in my list. He has scored 735 runs in 26 matches, his average is only 32, and his strike rate is merely 123. Sorry! But I can't take him in my team,” said Aakash Chopra.

“I am including Devon Conway's name instead at his place. Conway's numbers in T20Is in 2022 are unbelievable. He had played more matches in the format this year; he would have overtaken Suryakumar Yadav to claim the top position," he maintained.

Aakash also praised former Indian captain Virat Kohli for his brilliant performance in 2022.

"Nobody would have imagined that Virat Kohli would find a place on this list. He struggled for form for years, and his performances were also quite underwhelming in the IPL. Everything was going wrong for him," Aakash said.

"However, by the end of 2022, he has turned things around remarkably. In T20Is this year (2022), Kohli has scored 781 runs in 20 matches at an average of 55.78 with a strike rate of 138.23. He was outstanding during the T20 World Cup. The pitches were quite challenging against Pakistan and England during the World Cup, but he still managed to score," he added.

Chopra's top five T20 batters for 2022 are Suryakumar Yadav (India), Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Virat Kohli (India), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), and Devon Conway (New Zealand). Chopra also praised Kohli for his strong performance in the year.