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Babar Azam vs Travis Head - Who is the better batter in all formats?

Ab Fan

Ab Fan

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This is a simple comparison thread between two players who belong to similar age group and are rated as top players for their respective nations and across the world.

One is a consistent reliable run scorer while the other is an aggressive match winner with pedigree of performing in big games but can be inconsistent as his test average suggests.

Who is a better batsman between the two in each of the formats - Tests, ODIs and T20Is?
 
Over the years, Babar has built a reputation of himself as the next best thing in batting since the Fab Four. He left the likes of KL Rahul, Shai Hope and Aiden Markram in dust and established himself as the best batsman in the world across all formats.

Travis Head who was not rated very highly at young age, has now gone on to establish himself as the biggest match winner in the game due to his big match pedigree and deserved comparison with the likes of Gilchrist and Warner.

So, who is the better batsman of the two in each formats and who will end up better?
 
In ODI and T20, gap is so huge that it's meanignless to compare these two players.

Now in test they have played 50 tests:

7 MOM in test vs 1 MOM in test [ avg lower 40s for both ] -- You can guess who is who.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
If you really want to troll i suggest a thread

Babar vs Rizwan.
Click to expand...

That's harsh. If I go to world-wide cricket forum and compare, I am sure Babar's 57 average in ODIs will be acknowledged and respected.

In Tests, Babar's 196 was a high quality knock vs Australia at home while Travis Head's 160 odd vs England in Ashes at home was a game changing knock and so was his WTC Final knock which was again high quality. Babar, to his credit, took apart Dale Steyn in South Africa. Averages would mostly be same if we factor in opposition strength which might be more tougher for Australia than Pakistan.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
If you really want to troll i suggest a thread

Babar vs Rizwan.
Click to expand...
Why do you think its trolling? A long thread for all format batsman for babar is present here.

I think Babar being all format best batsman non-sense won't stick because Head has been playing all format as well. There are many batsmen who will be better but they don't play all formats consistently.
 
Babar is the best next thing after sliced giant naan to enjoy a nice nehari with.
 
Buffet said:
In ODI and T20, gap is so huge that it's meanignless to compare these two players.

Now in test they have played 50 tests:

7 MOM in test vs 1 MOM in test [ avg lower 40s for both ] -- You can guess who is who.
Click to expand...

In T20Is, I will not look at stats as that is hardly a parameter for someone who has followed their career since the start. Travis Head wins there. However, remember Babar has a match winning performance vs India in WT20 which Head doesn't. But I will still give it to Travis, he is a feared batsman in this format and can take away the game in no time.

In ODIs, Head now has a match winning performance in World Cup Final which was not just a World Cup Final hundred but a great knock by all means as he single handedly silenced the crowd in 2nd innings of the game. But we need to look beyond. What about the career comparison? All years of consistency and comparisons with Kohli, de Villiers and Rohit and all of a sudden nothing?

In Tests, Babar is an underachiever but so has been Head who after WTC Final lost his form a bit and that average went down to low 40s.
 
Ab Fan said:
In T20Is, I will not look at stats as that is hardly a parameter for someone who has followed their career since the start. Travis Head wins there. However, remember Babar has a match winning performance vs India in WT20 which Head doesn't. But I will still give it to Travis, he is a feared batsman in this format and can take away the game in no time.

In ODIs, Head now has a match winning performance in World Cup Final which was not just a World Cup Final hundred but a great knock by all means as he single handedly silenced the crowd in 2nd innings of the game. But we need to look beyond. What about the career comparison? All years of consistency and comparisons with Kohli, de Villiers and Rohit and all of a sudden nothing?

In Tests, Babar is an underachiever but so has been Head who after WTC Final lost his form a bit and that average went down to low 40s.
Click to expand...
Nah, I am not rating Head based on one final or anything like that.

In ODI Head averages 42 with SR of 103
in T20 Head averages 34 with SR of 157

It's very consistent for ODI and T20 and actually has impact.

Even in test, I don't pay much attention to WTC final because that just one game. But Head is MOM in 6 other tests. Babar has been MOM in just one test so far.
 
Dr_Bassim said:
Different roles.

Would you compare Head with Joe Root?
Click to expand...

Head and Root are two players from different age groups. Root is an all time great test player and Head might not even match that 5-6 years later.

Babar and Head are from same age group and play as middle order batsman in tests and top order in LOIs. Roles are ultimately defined based on the style of players and that is ultimately down to what suits the mentioned player.

But with this thread, we also will get an idea as to adopting which role will really maximise the output in the present generation.
 
Babar needs to hire a mental and fitness coach to get him out of this rut. Give himself 12 months, pure dedication and focus.
 
Ab Fan said:
This is a simple comparison thread between two players who belong to similar age group and are rated as top players for their respective nations and across the world.

One is a consistent reliable run scorer while the other is an aggressive match winner with pedigree of performing in big games but can be inconsistent as his test average suggests.

Who is a better batsman between the two in each of the formats - Tests, ODIs and T20Is?
Click to expand...
A simple question @Ab Fan any indian batter currently that you think is better than Travis Head.
 
Buffet said:
Nah, I am not rating Head based on one final or anything like that.

In ODI Head averages 42 with SR of 103
in T20 Head averages 34 with SR of 157

It's very consistent for ODI and T20 and actually has impact.
Click to expand...

In ODI and T20, one ICC final is more important than 100 bilateral games.

If anyone performs in one final and wins it for his country, that's pretty much his legacy.

Again, I am only talking about LOI formats. Not Test.

Head is a big match player. He became legendary by winning 2 trophies (WTC final and ODI WC final) for his country.
 
sweep_shot said:
In ODI and T20, one ICC final is more important than 100 bilateral games.
Click to expand...
Simply not true. May be tue for casual fans to remember names, but without having a solid career one fluke inning does not make anyone great. Head has a solid career and then bonus is runs in finals.
 
Buffet said:
Simply not true. May be tue for casual fans to remember names, but without having a solid career one fluke inning does not make anyone great. Head has a solid career and then bonus is runs in finals.
Click to expand...

Scoring a match-winning century in a final is more important than having 100 good performances in bilaterals.

Maybe South Africans don't rate finals because they generally choke in semis and get knocked out. Coping mechanism perhaps.
 
Lol. Is this a troll thread?

One is a serial World Cup and World Test Championship MOTM. Another is a shadow of his former self.
 
Travis Head is light years ahead in all formats.

Travis is also better than any indian batsman currently in odi and t20.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
mominsaigol said:
@Ab Fan I think you enjoy this 🤣🤣🤣.
Click to expand...
Ab Fan is for sure posting this with a straight face lol ! 😂
Babar vs travis. Gosh where to begin? Maybe will just finish by saying that travis head will be the 1st name on the team sheet in a world 11 whereas babar will be the 1st name in a pak 11 - high praise that ! 😉
 
sweep_shot said:
Scoring a match-winning century in a final is more important than having 100 good performances in bilaterals.

Maybe South Africans don't rate finals because they generally choke in semis and get knocked out. Coping mechanism perhaps.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect.

Ask any Indian fan to make an India ODI all time XI and no one will pick Mohinder Amarnath, the man who won India the World Cup Final and Semi Final of 1983.
 
There is no real comparison between them atm. Travis is way ahead of Babar. He is a clutch player and is not afraid to bat at any number and be equally effective.
 
Ab Fan said:
This is incorrect.

Ask any Indian fan to make an India ODI all time XI and no one will pick Mohinder Amarnath, the man who won India the World Cup Final and Semi Final of 1983.
Click to expand...

Jimmy should be in everyone’s test XI
 
Ab Fan said:
This is incorrect.

Ask any Indian fan to make an India ODI all time XI and no one will pick Mohinder Amarnath, the man who won India the World Cup Final and Semi Final of 1983.
Click to expand...
Gambir is a bigger match winner than the keeeng kohli in odi
 
On similar pitches against similar opponents, Travis will be twice the batsman not only in terms of impact, but also in terms of volume.
 
sweep_shot said:
Scoring a match-winning century in a final is more important than having 100 good performances in bilaterals.

Maybe South Africans don't rate finals because they generally choke in semis and get knocked out. Coping mechanism perhaps.
Click to expand...
No it is not, that would make Collis King better than Ab Devilliers.
More Important for sure but doesn't make you better than everyone who hasn't replicated that.
 
Travis head is in some form atm in all formats. Babar is just left to ODIs for now. His form has declined taking a 360 degree turn.
 
Travis 1 WC final innings is worth more then Babars whole career combined, all formats.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Superb ton from Head vs England. He is elevating himself to a league of Warner and Gilchrist.

Babar needs to give a counter punch to keep a strong say in this battle.
 
Considering the impact, Travis Head is on another level. Babar also scored a good century but domestic and international stage are 2 different things.
 
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