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Despite Babar Azam’s consistent performance across all formats in international cricket over recent years, he is still not widely regarded as the top player in the world by many.
The right-handed batsman has been a key figure for Pakistan across formats. Although he has faced challenges in recent months, he has amassed significant runs in all three formats over the years.
Since making his international debut in 2015, Babar has played 52 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 123 T20Is for Pakistan. In Tests, he has accumulated 3,898 runs with 9 centuries and 26 half-centuries. In ODIs, he has scored 5,729 runs at an average of 56.72, including 19 centuries and 32 half-centuries.
His T20I record is also impressive, with 4,145 runs, featuring 3 centuries and 36 half-centuries in the shortest format of the game.
Babar Azam is the most skilled batsman
While Babar Azam is widely recognized as one of the finest batsmen globally, he is not universally acknowledged as the best. Critics argue that he still needs to surpass other leading batters of his generation, such as Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, and Rohit Sharma, to be regarded as the top player.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Zahid, however, has praised Babar as the most technically proficient batsman in the world. Zahid believes Babar excels in technique compared to his peers.
Nonetheless, Zahid also noted that Steve Smith and Joe Root surpass Babar in terms of overall performance and batting insight. He ranked Smith at the top, followed by Root and then Babar.
“If you ask me skill-wise, it is Babar Azam. Babar has the best technique among all batters. However, when we talk about performances and the knowledge of batting, Joe Root and Steve Smith are on another level,” Zahid said on Basit Ali’s YouTube channel.
“They don’t have the kind of ability that Babar has, but they are more clever when it comes to game assessment. I would rank Steve Smith at one, Joe Root at second, and then Babar Azam,” he added.
Babar Azam’s most recent appearance was in the T20 World Cup in June, where he struggled to make a significant impact both as a batsman and as captain. Pakistan exited the tournament at the group stage, and Babar managed only 122 runs in 4 matches with a disappointing strike rate of 101.66.
