"To compare Babar with the likes of Smith, Root or Kohli will be unfair on him" : Mohammad Shami

[MenInG]

"To compare Babar with the likes of Smith, Root or Kohli will be unfair on him" : Mohammad Shami

While speaking exclusively to india.com Shami said, “Pakistan have been playing very good cricket of late and the emergence of three-four players have really helped them a lot. No doubt Babar Azam is a great player. But to compare him with the likes of Steve Smith, Joe Root or Virat Kohli will be unfair on him. I would say let him play for that many years and then maybe we can judge. At the moment, if he continues to play like that, then he would obviously end his career as one of the greats from Pakistan. Good luck Babar Azam, I would say.”

https://www.india.com/sports/exclus...-babar-azam-debate-gives-his-verdict-5196165/

 

[jnaveen1980]

Yup He needs a couple of dominating years in Test cricket. He will always be at a disadvantage in Test cricket. In the first 6 years Root played 54 tests. Kohli played 53 tests. Due to COVID and other things Babar has played only 36 tests. Tendulkar had the same issue in the 90s. First 6 years played a mere 35 tests. Infact during his absolute peak hardly played any tests. Even after 8 years he had played only 46 tests. But Tendulkar made debut at the age of 16. So he was able to make up in 2000s.

 

[as-95]

Sly and trolling comments from Shami. If he plays how he is doing, he will end up as an ATG. Not just a Pakistani great!

 

[Rana]

Just say he isn’t better than them.

He isn’t, and will not be until he doesn’t stop playing for his average and actually starts scoring runs that matter for his team!

 

[ChTab]

Babar will never reach the level of kohli, Smith & Root.
He's slightly better than Williamson in ODI'S but very poor in tests as compared to Williamson, also Babar will never play a T20I inns like Williamson played in the final of WT20.

 

[Ab Fan]

Very well spoken by Mohammad Shami. Great insights.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Babar needs to slam test daddy hundreds and bring his test average to 50 before he can be spoken about in the same sentence as these guys.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Babar will never reach the level of kohli, Smith & Root.
He's slightly better than Williamson in ODI'S but very poor in tests as compared to Williamson, also Babar will never play a T20I inns like Williamson played in the final of WT20.

You mean a big innings in a losing effort?

Yeah I hope he doesn't. Because very few people remember an innings in a big match that failed to win your side the match or the trophy.

 

[CadPakFan]

You mean a big innings in a losing effort?

Yeah I hope he doesn't. Because very few people remember an innings in a big match that failed to win your side the match or the trophy.

So no one will remember Fakhar's 193?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

So no one will remember Fakhar's 193?

You need to read my comment more carefully. I said very few people remember a big match innings in a losing cause.

I didn't say no one. And that was not a big match.

 

[CadPakFan]

You need to read my comment more carefully. I said very few people remember a big match innings in a losing cause.

I didn't say no one. And that was not a big match.

Okay then what about Fakhar's innings in the SF against AUS, that was a big match and I think that many people would probably remember him for that.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Okay then what about Fakhar's innings in the SF against AUS, that was a big match and I think that many people would probably remember him for that.

I'm sure the innings did alot for him individually. Especially since he was badly out of form prior to that match. It certainly reminded his detractors that he is a world-class batter who can take it to any bowling attack in the world.

But any self-respecting Pakistani fan will know that that innings ultimately meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.