Ian Bell names batsman with best cover drive

It has been a while since the Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam debate are doing rounds. The two batsmen have proved their mettle across formats, and their records speak volumes of their prowess. While the Indian captain has already attained the status of legend, his Pakistan counterpart is on his way to greatness. Although Kohli and Azam have numerous shots in their arsenal, their cover drives are class apart.

Cover drive is indeed one the most graceful shots in cricket as it requires the art of placing the ball in the cover region with précised wrist work. Over the years, many prominent batsmen have played this shot and collected many runs in the off-side region.

At the moment, however, there’s hardly anyone who can play the iconic stroke better than Kohli and Azam. Former England batsman Ian Bell talked about the same in a recent interaction and picked who has the best cover drive.

Hard to look past Virat Kohli’s cover drive in world cricket: Ian Bell

Bell, who himself was known for his stylish batting style, opined Kohli’s cover drive is best in world cricket currently. The 39-year-old also said that he likes technically sound batsmen, and the Indian captain is arguably best in that regard.

“I really like a technical batsman. He is probably the best at the moment. It’s hard to look past Kohli’s cover drive in world cricket,” Bell told Sportskeeda.

Meanwhile, Bell announced his retirement from all forms of cricket last year, having played his last international game in 2015. Nevertheless, the right-handed batsman enjoyed a sensational time in England jersey and will go down as one of the finest batsmen from the nation. He scored 7727 and 5416 runs in 118 Tests and 160 ODIs which also comprises 26 centuries across formats.

Speaking of Kohli and Azam, the Indian captain is currently gearing up for the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. On the other hand, Azam will next be seen in Pakistan’s tour of England, which kickstarts in July. The 26-year-old has been in sensational form this year and would like to shine against the Three Lions.