Exclusive: Babar Azam and Co a 'very, very strong' side, says Robin Uthappa ahead of India vs Pakistan match

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa described the current Pakistan team led by Babar Azam as a "very, very strong" side that will certainly pose the Men in Blue a major challenge in the 2023 Asia Cup, in an exclusive conversation with Firstpost.India begin their campaign in the Asia Cup, which returns to the 50-over format this year in the build-up to the ICC World Cup, against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday in Pallekele. Pakistan, meanwhile, already have two points to their name thanks to their crushing 238-run win against Nepal in Multan on Wednesday.Read |  Pakistan the biggest threat as India aim for eighth Asia Cup titleThe two sides had won one game each in their two meetings in last year's Asia Cup that was held in the T20 format in the UAE, and Pakistan had nearly handed India a second consecutive T20 World Cup defeat later that year in Melbourne. Both teams are evenly-matched this time around as well and are expected to produce multiple enthralling contests.“I certainly think it’s a very, very strong Pakistan side. I don’t know if it’s one of the strongest, but they certainly are one of the best Pakistan sides we have seen in the recent past. It’s a very well-rounded side; they have solid batting, Fakhar Zaman opening the batting, then you have Babar Azam, you have Rizwan there, you have Iftikhar Ahmed who is there as well," former India batter Uthappa told Firstpost's Rupha Ramani on Friday."There’s Shadab Khan who plays the all-rounder’s role. I think they go head-to-head with Ravindra Jadeja as well. And then their fast bowlers. Such a solid fast-bowling unit. Any captain would dream to have a fast-bowling trio like that, who all bowl 145 clicks and above and can swing the ball as well. So it’s a solid, solid side,” added Uthappa, who represented India in 46 ODIs and 13 T20Is.The T20 World Cup encounter in Melbourne was the last time the two south Asian giants met on the cricket field in any format. Pakistan reduced India to 31/4 after setting them a challenging 160 to win, thanks to early inroads by Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, before batting superstar Virat Kohli produced the innings of a lifetime to rescue the Men in Blue from the jaws of defeat.Read | Pakistan announce unchanged XI for Asia Cup Group A clash against IndiaKohli smashed an unbeaten 82 off 53 deliveries against the red-hot Pakistani attack, stitching a 113-run fifth-wicket partnership with Hardik Pandya (40). Though the Men in Blue stuttered towards the end, Kohli's masterclass ensured they got over the line from a near-impossible situation.Uthappa, for one, felt that contest for the ages would still be fresh in the minds of both the Indians and Pakistanis heading into Saturday's contest at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.“The last India-Pakistan game I witnessed was the one at Melbourne in the World Cup, Virat won it for us. That game, a hundred and twenty-thousand people watching, was a sight to experience in itself. To win a game from nowhere was a great experience. And all of those add to the rivalry.“You’re going to think of what happened the last time they met. I think when they play on the second, those are the conversations that will be had and how well prepared are the Pakistan boys to play India at Sri Lanka. Babar Azam in some scorching-hot form, so is Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed right now in some super form. He’ll draw a lot of confidence his hundred at number six. Shaheen Shah Afridi, again, amongst the wickets. Their spinners, fast bowlers all amongst the wickets. They have a quality fast-bowling attack. So you know that it will make for a great contest," Uthappa said.Read | India favourites, but Pakistan have narrowed the gap: Ravi ShastriAs for some of the memorable India-Pakistan encounters over the years and some standout individual performances from those games, Uthappa singled out Kohli's match-winning 183 in the 2012 Asia Cup as one of the greatest knocks that he has witnessed."I remember Virat’s 184 (sic) against them in Bangladesh which was a phenomenal knock, I think one of the best one-day innings. The outright dominance that he performed in that match was just phenomenal to experience. That was when Virat was becoming the Virat we all know today. So it was a transition for all those guys who knew Virat before that to see him become that. With that innings, you could tell that this fellow has gone to another level now and don’t know if there’s anything stopping him from here,” Uthappa added.