[VIDEOS] Is Babar Azam the best all format batter in the world currently?

[Savak]

His reputation as a batsman is in the toilet given how minnow like he batted on the biggest stages i.e. Asia Cup and now World Cup. Worst of all he looked technically deficient against seam, swing and the bounce of Perth, MCG. Great players in the past have shown the ability to bounce back against media pressure, against a pro long period of bad form by rising to the occasion on the big stage but Babar failed to do that for Pakistan.

The guy is a bunny against left arm spin i.e. Maharaj and Adil Rasheed. I would say he has now regressed as a batsmen and oppositions have now found out weak links in his batting i.e. dry up his singles, block his cricketing shots early on and exploit the fact he doesn't have a power game, release shots to force the bowler to change his line, length.

Kohli has so much more versatility as a batsman. If he sees that a bowler is bowling a good line length, he will slowly walk down the pitch at the last second to disturb the bowlers line, length, Kohli can play cross bat shots to put the bowler under pressure and force him to change his line, length and then Kohli will play proper cricketing shots to exploit the change in field and Kohli can really hit big and up the ante at the death.

Babar has shown that he is 2 levels below Kohli in ODI and T-20 Cricket in the last few months.

 

[The lone Ranger]

He is average at best. He is not a good test player and not a good T20I player either. Only good in ODIs. His T20 stats are inflated due to playing second string bowlers too often. He goes out of form as soon as there's a multinational tournament around the corner.

Imagine being called the best player in the world while in your peak years and you striking at 93 at an average of 17 in a world tournament!!! Thanks to that dropped catch in the semi final otherwise it would come down to 12 at 70 SR! Looks like he has problems with bounce & swing and a poor player of spin.

Till date his only noteworthy performance is that 130 ball century against Newzealand in a world cup league match where he got two lives that's it.

He has bottled and played two match losing knocks which cost Pakistan two t20s WCs. He will be back once teams start fielding their reserved attacks in some random bilateral series.

 

[Shafi]

Average over-hyped player with limited short range ability. Any top team will not take Babar in their A team.

 

[Mobashir]

He will always let you down under pressure. Cost Pakistan the semifinal last year, the Asia Cup final and now this final.

A true choker. Just a stats padder against weak teams under no pressure. Basically Amla 2.0

Babar's innings yesterday was fine.
In the situation he let Pakistan at 84/2 in 11 overs we were well on course to make 160 or even a little more.

The best batsman in the world for a reason!

 

[Mamoon]

Babar's innings yesterday was fine.
In the situation he let Pakistan at 84/2 in 11 overs we were well on course to make 160 or even a little more.

The best batsman in the world for a reason!

)

If Kohli would have scored 32 in 28 and got out, you would have created a dozen threads to criticize him.

Babar played a pathetic innings. As the so-called best batsman in the world, he should have converted that 32 in 28 into a 60+ score and bat through the innings to ensure that Pakistan score 150-160.

This is what Kohli, the top scorer of the tournament, did for India almost every game.

It was Babar’s job to take responsibility of taking the team to that total rather than looking like a tail-ender against Rashid Khan and leaving the job to an unreliable middle-order.

Babar is so ordinary against spin. He has no clue of picking variations off the hand and is always playing it off the pitch. If this is how the best batsman in the world plays spin, the batting standards must be at an all time low.

Babar is a very good batsman but he is not the batsman his deluded fans think he is. He is basically at the same level as Inzamam and Yousuf. Nothing more.

His delusional fans think he is in the league of Kohli, Tendulkar, Ponting etc. which is just laughable.

The biggest reason why Babar gets so overrated is because Pakistani batting standards are extremely slow, there is zero batting talent and he stands out big time compared to the rest.

You can understand the level of batting in a country where an average and limited batsman like Rizwan is supposedly the #2 batsman in the country.

 

[Msd_7]

Zero sixes in Asia Cup 2022 & T20 World Cup 2022 combined!

Former No.1 T20I batter, Babar Azam's struggle continues.

 

[Rana]

Babar's innings yesterday was fine.
In the situation he let Pakistan at 84/2 in 11 overs we were well on course to make 160 or even a little more.

The best batsman in the world for a reason!

Fine for what?

It was a fine for true lovers of power play batting to see the man score 1 boundary in the entire PP. we are being fined/tortured for our loyalty to this team!

 

[Rana]

Zero sixes in Asia Cup 2022 & T20 World Cup 2022 combined!

Former No.1 T20I batter, Babar Azam's struggle continues.

Absolute besharmi of the highest order

This is a great misuse of power in the wrong hands

Soon he will stop hitting 4s in the powerplay all together as well

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Absolute besharmi of the highest order

This is a great misuse of power in the wrong hands

Soon he will stop hitting 4s in the powerplay all together as well

In his defense, he has been badly out of form since the England series.

Even his team has said that.

Its his bad luck that all these events have rolled around when he is struggling. One could say step down or not play but can you imagine Pakistan's team without Babar. Teams would eat it up.

If you are a Malan and out of form, there are 5 other players in the team who can hit a strike rate of 150+ to rescue you. If Babar is out of form, it is just too glaring because no one in the team is good enough to cover for his struggles. Luckily Haris showed up for those 3 games.

All ace players go through bad periods. He is going through one. We should keep faith.

For all that, Pakistan were 84 in 11 overs when he got out. The platform was set to go to 160+. No one put their hands up.

 

[shaz619]

He will bounce back, as all great players do, they find a way eventually.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Lol, more like he was carried by the team to the finals and single handedly costed Pakistan a World Cup.

Lol you change your opinions like clothes everyday. ) When the same is said about Pant you call it a team game. You don't blame top order when it suits your agenda as we have seen multiple times especially when it comes to Samson, Dhoni, Jadeja etc.

Pakistan were 84/2 after 11 overs, middle order failed them. His inning helped Pakistan reach the final, and he gave his middle order a good enough platform to launch into the attack and they failed. You are still a noob when it comes to understanding these things.

 

[Ab Fan]

Lol you change your opinions like clothes everyday. ) When the same is said about Pant you call it a team game. You don't blame top order when it suits your agenda as we have seen multiple times especially when it comes to Samson, Dhoni, Jadeja etc.

Pakistan were 84/2 after 11 overs, middle order failed them. His inning helped Pakistan reach the final, and he gave his middle order a good enough platform to launch into the attack and they failed. You are still a noob when it comes to understanding these things.

Pant got to bat in the 19th overs, not his fault.

Babar opened the batting for Pakistan, played 7 games and ended with average of 17 and SR of 93. That's his fault.

 

[jnaveen1980]

One of the noticeable thing with Babar is he lacks that Subcontinental flair. Guys like Moeen Ali, Amla didn't even grow up batting in subcontinent. They have that subcontinent flair of using wrists. I am used to seeing guys like Aravinda, Saeed Anwar, Azharuddin who used so much wrists into their shots. Suryakumar yadav is a prominent user of wrists to impart power and direction to his shots. That game is lacking in Babar. Everything is done in straight lines.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Pant got to bat in the 19th overs, not his fault.

Babar opened the batting for Pakistan, played 7 games and ended with average of 17 and SR of 93. That's his fault.

What a hypocrite. You are acting as if Pant never got to bat before 19th over. When did he come on to bat against Zimbabwe?

 

[Ab Fan]

What a hypocrite. You are acting as if Pant never got to bat before 19th over. When did he come on to bat against Zimbabwe?

Lower your tone a bit. This thread is about Babar Azam, not Rishabh Pant. Kindly stick to the thread.

You are only embarrassing yourself by bringing the name of Rishabh Pant here.

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Pant got to bat in the 19th overs, not his fault.

Babar opened the batting for Pakistan, played 7 games and ended with average of 17 and SR of 93. That's his fault.

Pant is not a opener to compare with Babar.
He got chance in only one match against zim.

Babar Competitors are Bavuma, KL and Rohit.
And they out performed 90 SR with 17 avg.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Lower your tone a bit. This thread is about Babar Azam, not Rishabh Pant. Kindly stick to the thread.

You are only embarrassing yourself by bringing the name of Rishabh Pant here.

Don't chicken out now. I can use his name to show your hypocrisy in regards to Babar Azam. Learn to stay consistent with your views. I will point it out if you don't. Other members should know this before they quote and reply to you.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Absolute besharmi of the highest order

This is a great misuse of power in the wrong hands

Soon he will stop hitting 4s in the powerplay all together as well

He has officially crossed 50 mark. 52.5 balls per six in international. Kane 43. If he can't clear the big boundary he could have used the pace and scooped.

 

[Ab Fan]

Pant is not a opener to compare with Babar.
He got chance in only one match against zim.

Babar Competitors are Bavuma, KL and Rohit.
And they out performed 90 SR with 17 avg.

Yes, however you cannot expect folks like BVB to understand these basic stuffs as "common sense" and "basic logics" are two words missing in his dictionary.

He gets nightmare of Rishabh Pant in nights so he tries to bring him in any random post on any random thread. I think he should consult a doctor as it seems some serious issue in his case. Arguments and fights are part and parcel of the life but personally I am a bit worried about his mental state

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Yes, however you cannot expect folks like BVB to understand these basic stuffs as "common sense" and "basic logics" are two words missing in his dictionary.

He gets nightmare of Rishabh Pant in nights so he tries to bring him in any random post on any random thread. I think he should consult a doctor as it seems some serious issue in his case. Arguments and fights are part and parcel of the life but personally I am a bit worried about his mental state

If you start using your common sense properly you would know that I wasn't comparing Babar with Pant but exposing your inconsistent opinions and hypocrisy using Pant as an example. I could have also used KL Rahul's name also. Point is in one thread you say something and then in another thread you say the complete opposite of that. As an experienced member of this forum it is my duty to point this out so others know that you are in a troll mode.

 

[Aseem_04]

Ashwin 1 six
Saheen 1 Six
Haris Rauf 1 Six
Even Bavuma Has one Six
And Babar Azam Has 0 after Playing 133 Bowls, Can't Play On Seam ,Swing Bounce , Can't Handle Short pitch bowl By 145+ Bowlers even he was playing like a tailender against mark wood in Pakistan ,Forget facing in Australia, Bunny of leg spinners,He's comfortable when bounce is waist high That's why played an average inning on Sydney turf

Avg of 17
Strike Rate of 93

While There's 34 Year Old Kohli 293 Runs most by anyone With Strike Rate 136.6
And Average of 98+

Hit 8 No of six ,In terms of hitting sixes he's there 6th or probably 7th in this tourney
Has Death over strike Rate (212+) (15-20)over in this wc
And in overall career 200+ in death overs
Even Pandya ,Warner,Rohit ,Surya ,maxwell ,Buttler Don't have That absolute insane strike rate in last overs,
The Goat of Loi, He's no comparison At all league above others .

Average is 86+ in Loi While chasing, Next to him has just 45+ Thats Bradmanesque Difference.

Babar Azam at best can Williamson or Amla mould player so pls Don't compare both of them and mockery of latter one

 

[Markhor]

Ashwin 1 six
Saheen 1 Six
Haris Rauf 1 Six
Even Bavuma Has one Six
And Babar Azam Has 0 after Playing 133 Bowls, Can't Play On Seam ,Swing Bounce , Can't Handle Short pitch bowl By 145+ Bowlers even he was playing like a tailender against mark wood in Pakistan ,Forget facing in Australia, Bunny of leg spinners,He's comfortable when bounce is waist high That's why played an average inning on Sydney turf

Avg of 17
Strike Rate of 93

While There's 34 Year Old Kohli 293 Runs most by anyone With Strike Rate 136.6
And Average of 98+

Hit 8 No of six ,In terms of hitting sixes he's there 6th or probably 7th in this tourney
Has Death over strike Rate (212+) (15-20)over in this wc
And in overall career 200+ in death overs
Even Pandya ,Warner,Rohit ,Surya ,maxwell ,Buttler Don't have That absolute insane strike rate in last overs,
The Goat of Loi, He's no comparison At all league above others .

Average is 86+ in Loi While chasing, Next to him has just 45+ Thats Bradmanesque Difference.

Babar Azam at best can Williamson or Amla mould player so pls Don't compare both of them and mockery of latter one

Thank you. Not one six in an entire tournament from an opener who bats in PP is appalling.

Babar fans constantly deflect blame elsewhere, but you cannot spin those numbers.

 

[Rana]

In his defense, he has been badly out of form since the England series.

Even his team has said that.

Its his bad luck that all these events have rolled around when he is struggling. One could say step down or not play but can you imagine Pakistan's team without Babar. Teams would eat it up.

If you are a Malan and out of form, there are 5 other players in the team who can hit a strike rate of 150+ to rescue you. If Babar is out of form, it is just too glaring because no one in the team is good enough to cover for his struggles. Luckily Haris showed up for those 3 games.

All ace players go through bad periods. He is going through one. We should keep faith.

For all that, Pakistan were 84 in 11 overs when he got out. The platform was set to go to 160+. No one put their hands up.

But he didn’t look out of form in the SF.

We have to be honest with ourselves. Is it fair to have a zero six hitting threat occupying 36 balls of the powerplay? Wouldn’t we be better served with him batting at 3 or 4? Wouldn’t we be better served giving guys like Harris or even Asif Ali a crack with only two fielders outside so they just don’t hole out when they try and maximise?

 

[Rana]

Thank you. Not one six in an entire tournament from an opener who bats in PP is appalling.

Babar fans constantly deflect blame elsewhere, but you cannot spin those numbers.

If he wasn’t the captain, he wouldn’t be selected for the next series

 

[Markhor]

If he wasn’t the captain, he wouldn’t be selected for the next series

Babar fans know damn well any other batsman with avg of 17 at SR of 93 in a tournament and they'd be calling for his head.

He averages 31 at 123 this year but remove the not outs and it falls to 19.95 at 109. I guess the middle order are to blame for that too.

 

[Rana]

Babar fans know damn well any other batsman with avg of 17 at SR of 93 in a tournament and they'd be calling for his head.

He averages 31 at 123 this year but remove the not outs and it falls to 19.95 at 109. I guess the middle order are to blame for that too.

We need to be fair and consistent

I don’t think he will suddenly turn a switch and become an elite performer like Butler/Phillips/Surya/Stoinis at this level with his style of play against the full strength sides.

Babar is a great ODI and Test Batter, is there really any need for him to play this format at international level?

 

[Ab Fan]

If Pakistan has to win a T20 World Cup, they need to play only one of Babar or Rizwan. Going with both Babar and Rizwan is a recipe of disaster. Need a dasher alongside who can maximize the powerplays and don't play selfishly. Those Strike rates are pathetic to say the least.

Let Masood bat at 3 as he is willing to bat at a non opening spot.

 

[cricketjoshila]

140 SR is not good enough when they play in powerplay and their playing style enables them to play most of the overs. T20 does not need build up play as shown by England. Infact survival approach in first 6 overs is detrimental instead.

What is Buttler's avg and SR?

 

[Savak]

Babar has badly regressed in his performance in Australia in comparison to the 2016 series. Usually a batsman with 6 years in international cricket will be at the peak of his powers. Kohli had killer seasons in Australia in 2011-12, 2014/15, 2018 and 2020-2021. When you perform in Australia you get global recognition.

 

[Savak]

Not going to really care about any knocks Babar plays in Pakistan. Australia is the place to announce your quality to the world and boy did he really fail badly on the big stage. He batted like a debutant in the Asia Cup in the UAE as well.

Every great player has found a way to get themselves out of a bad patch, under severe media pressure and rise to the big occasion in a big game.

 

[Buffet]

Babar has badly regressed in his performance in Australia in comparison to the 2016 series. Usually a batsman with 6 years in international cricket will be at the peak of his powers. Kohli had killer seasons in Australia in 2011-12, 2014/15, 2018 and 2020-2021. When you perform in Australia you get global recognition.

Is it fair to compare him with Kohli? I mean Kohli is simply at another level when compared to most,. why compare Babar to some one like him.

Babar can't hit big to save his life, but it hardly means that he is a poor batsman for Pakistan. He should simply not play in first 36 balls because he does not have skills to hit 6. But he can do the job after powerplay. Just play within your limitations and make the best use of whatever skills you have.

Everyone does not need to be Kohli. Let Babar be Babar and contribute to Pakistan as best as he can. Babar will be fine. He is a good batsman.

 

[Rana]

)

If Kohli would have scored 32 in 28 and got out, you would have created a dozen threads to criticize him.

Babar played a pathetic innings. As the so-called best batsman in the world, he should have converted that 32 in 28 into a 60+ score and bat through the innings to ensure that Pakistan score 150-160.

This is what Kohli, the top scorer of the tournament, did for India almost every game.

It was Babar’s job to take responsibility of taking the team to that total rather than looking like a tail-ender against Rashid Khan and leaving the job to an unreliable middle-order.

Babar is so ordinary against spin. He has no clue of picking variations off the hand and is always playing it off the pitch. If this is how the best batsman in the world plays spin, the batting standards must be at an all time low.

Babar is a very good batsman but he is not the batsman his deluded fans think he is. He is basically at the same level as Inzamam and Yousuf. Nothing more.

His delusional fans think he is in the league of Kohli, Tendulkar, Ponting etc. which is just laughable.

The biggest reason why Babar gets so overrated is because Pakistani batting standards are extremely slow, there is zero batting talent and he stands out big time compared to the rest.

You can understand the level of batting in a country where an average and limited batsman like Rizwan is supposedly the #2 batsman in the country.

He is a better T20 batsman than Yousuf (or what he would have been today) but not Prime Inzimam, and especially not in the middle order.

Inzimam in his prime would be a 125-140 sr player at number 4 or 5 in T20i cricket today. That is pretty much world class.

There is no way that Babar will do that for Pakistan at number 4 or 5 considering he can’t really do it in the powerplay.

Inzimam was a white ball stalwart from the 90s to 2005/6. Most certainly he would adapt to modern requirements in this day and age and especially in his position

 

[LegendAli]

Don’t ever let this guy near a t20 team ever again. Keep him away from PSL too. Let him focus on test and ODIs.

There’s a reason Root and Smith don’t play t20s.

Smith has consistently been playing T20's for Australia.

Which T20 Cricket have you been watching?

 

[giri26]

Smith has consistently been playing T20's for Australia.

Which T20 Cricket have you been watching?

Smith has played a grand total of 63 games since his debut. I don't call that as consistently playing. He plays the least in this format for Australia.

 

[Mobashir]

)

If Kohli would have scored 32 in 28 and got out, you would have created a dozen threads to criticize him.

Babar played a pathetic innings. As the so-called best batsman in the world, he should have converted that 32 in 28 into a 60+ score and bat through the innings to ensure that Pakistan score 150-160.

This is what Kohli, the top scorer of the tournament, did for India almost every game.

It was Babar’s job to take responsibility of taking the team to that total rather than looking like a tail-ender against Rashid Khan and leaving the job to an unreliable middle-order.

Babar is so ordinary against spin. He has no clue of picking variations off the hand and is always playing it off the pitch. If this is how the best batsman in the world plays spin, the batting standards must be at an all time low.

Babar is a very good batsman but he is not the batsman his deluded fans think he is. He is basically at the same level as Inzamam and Yousuf. Nothing more.

His delusional fans think he is in the league of Kohli, Tendulkar, Ponting etc. which is just laughable.

The biggest reason why Babar gets so overrated is because Pakistani batting standards are extremely slow, there is zero batting talent and he stands out big time compared to the rest.

You can understand the level of batting in a country where an average and limited batsman like Rizwan is supposedly the #2 batsman in the country.

So we agree that Babar's SR wasn't a problem in the final. He could have played a match winning innings had he carried on to score a 60, that's true. That's why I said it was just a fine, okay innings.

Well, Kohli was a good anchor during the world cup, this is what he is, and always was. Unfortunately for him, that's good for ODI'S, and T20's against Netherland but not good enough for T20's against England. That's why he was watching the final on his TV screen, just like he did for the Asia cup, last t20 world cup, last odi world cup, 2015 world cup. He often watches those big matches on TV.

 

[Mamoon]

So we agree that Babar's SR wasn't a problem in the final. He could have played a match winning innings had he carried on to score a 60, that's true. That's why I said it was just a fine, okay innings.

Well, Kohli was a good anchor during the world cup, this is what he is, and always was. Unfortunately for him, that's good for ODI'S, and T20's against Netherland but not good enough for T20's against England. That's why he was watching the final on his TV screen, just like he did for the Asia cup, last t20 world cup, last odi world cup, 2015 world cup. He often watches those big matches on TV.

It wasn’t a fine innings, it was a terrible innings. It would have been a fine innings had he carried on until the end and taken Pakistan to a competitive total.

His innings did nothing for the team and that dismissal was embarrassing to watch. He cannot pretend to be the best batsman in the world and then play spin like a young Australian or English batsman who has stepped into the subcontinent for the first time in his career. Just embarrassing to watch.

Virat Kohli past his prime reminded peak Babar in tough batting conditions that he is still leagues above him.

That ATG knock against Pakistan alone is bigger than Babar’s entire career so far.

Yes Babar is the best batsman in the world. The same world where Kohli was supposedly not capable of playing Rauf. )

 

[Hitman]

It wasn’t a fine innings, it was a terrible innings. It would have been a fine innings had he carried on until the end and taken Pakistan to a competitive total.

His innings did nothing for the team and that dismissal was embarrassing to watch. He cannot pretend to be the best batsman in the world and then play spin like a young Australian or English batsman who has stepped into the subcontinent for the first time in his career. Just embarrassing to watch.

Virat Kohli past his prime reminded peak Babar in tough batting conditions that he is still leagues above him.

That ATG knock against Pakistan alone is bigger than Babar’s entire career so far.

Yes Babar is the best batsman in the world. The same world where Kohli was supposedly not capable of playing Rauf. )

Futile to argue with his likes. You can wake up a person asleep, you can't wake up a person pretending to be asleep.

 

[MenInG]

In a video released by Fox Cricket, Australia's best cricketers including Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Finch, Cameron Green, Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell, give their verdict on the top five current players in world cricket.

T20I skipper Aaron Finch was in awe of Babar's qualities and said: " He had been in my top three in all three formats," he said.

"You feel like you can't get him out, no matter what you do he's got an answer [with the bat]. He's great and an unbelievable player, he's just so classy, so classical when hits the ball where it needs to go. Someone who can dominate the game and almost feels like he's got you on a string at all times.

Labuschagne and Lyon had the same opinion regarding Babar while Maxwell said: "He's ultra-consistent in all three formats, classy, elegant, score runs everywhere.

<iframe width="522" height="516" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gN_tYrp1XiI" title="Kohli, Root, Babar, Cummins, Bumrah: Australia's best pick their TOP 5 current players | Fox Cricket" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Shafi]

His ability against main teams has been brutally exposed in Australia and NZ. He is at most best Pakistan Batsman in our current team tells you the actual quality of our team.
Its funny that he was trying to comfort out of form Kohli when Kohli even that stage is a superior player than Babar can ever be. Only media, delusional fans and PCB (for their own interest and hide their poor performance) can hype Babar. Babar at best moderate version of Azhar Ali in LOI nothing else.

 

[MHN1293]

His ability against main teams has been brutally exposed in Australia and NZ. He is at most best Pakistan Batsman in our current team tells you the actual quality of our team.
Its funny that he was trying to comfort out of form Kohli when Kohli even that stage is a superior player than Babar can ever be. Only media, delusional fans and PCB (for their own interest and hide their poor performance) can hype Babar. Babar at best moderate version of Azhar Ali in LOI nothing else.

LOL. When did azhar ali score centuries for fun in odis or become your countries top scorer in the history of both odi and t20i worldcups. Babar is the best odi batsmen rn and was carrying our t201 lineup for a few years before recently going through a rough patch. Last time he toured Australia he dominated them in both t20s and tests and he had a good series in nz this time around. I get that the Babar hate is at an all time peak rn and somewhat deserved after the World Cup preformance but fans are going overboard. Otoh people still compare him to kohli and other legends even though he is no where on that level rn

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has credited AB de Villiers as the inspiration behind his success.

Ahead of Pakistan's three-Test series against England - live on Sky Sports from Thursday - Babar sat down with Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain to discuss his rise to the top and recounted how he emulated the former South Africa star's style of play.

"To be honest, my role model is AB de Villiers because I love him and the way he is playing and the way he is playing all the shots," said Babar.

"When I see him on the TV, the next day I am trying every shot in the nets. I try to copy De Villiers and try to look and play like De Villiers because my ideal is everything he is."

England return to Pakistan for the first time since 2005 and Babar says his side are prepared for whatever Brendon McCullum's team throw at them.

"We are looking forward to a historic series and, first of all, welcome to the England team," he added.

"I know a few of the boys already in T20 format and a few new faces so I think they will enjoy it a lot, enjoy the conditions and the Pakistani hospitality. We are looking forward to the series and everyone is ready."

Despite being one of the top players in world cricket, Babar has to work through "struggles" to get to where he is and believes the moment he started to believe in himself, he started to grow as a player.

"I think when I was playing U19s in Australia. After that, I decided I am playing in Pakistan and when I came to a Pakistani team I started well," said Babar.

"After one year, a year and a half, I struggled then my starting wasn't good enough for Pakistan. Then I decided, 'no, I am good enough to play for Pakistan' and I tried my level best to perform.

"In that time, [former Pakistan coach] Mickey Arthur supported me a lot, he gave me a chance, he just asked me to play and not think any negative thoughts.

"Then around, I think the West Indies series, I scored 300 and gradually started professionally and consistently."

SKY

 

[James]

Yet another Test 50 for Babar.

Making it look easy.

 

[Rana]

Yet another Test 50 for Babar.

Making it look easy.

Without a doubt a good Test batsman

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Babar Azam has reached the milestone of 1000 runs in Test cricket in Pakistan. He's got there in just 14 innings and at an average of 91<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvENG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1598968310418198528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[James]

Another 100

Lovely innings.

Too easy for him.

 

[Bewal Express]

Well done Babar. Its a flat wicket but the runs still have to be scored.

 

[Markhor]

Sorry but not going to release the fireworks for Babar doing the bare minimum on a doctored road that he requested.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Babar is a very good batsman and he can only play on surfaces that are in front of him, but these will only strengthen the "stats padder" debate

 

[cricketjoshila]

Babar is a very good batsman and he can only play on surfaces that are in front of him, but these will only strengthen the "stats padder" debate

 

[Rana]

Babar is a very good batsman and he can only play on surfaces that are in front of him, but these will only strengthen the "stats padder" debate

I don’t think he is a statspadder in Test cricket

He is a proper Test match batsman who plays the game positively

 

[cricketjoshila]

I don’t think he is a statspadder in Test cricket

He is a proper Test match batsman who plays the game positively

His avg is massively inflated due the series vs australia and now here.

It would below 45 else.

 

[zaidihusain]

From the current test team only Babar is the proper modern day test batsman who tried to play positive cricket and brought back some interest in the game. Imam & Abdullah just played satisfactory innings to keep their place in the team, considering the nature of wicket they should have played @ SR of above 70. Azhar is just occupying one spot of may be Shan or any youngster. Saud was playing to make his place in the team. Modern day test cricket demands more than 65 SR, teams who play for draw or survival their test cricket will die in coming years

 

[MenInG]

 

[Markhor]

Best across formats ? Where was he during the T20 World Cup and Asia Cup ?

 

[Rana]

His avg is massively inflated due the series vs australia and now here.

It would below 45 else.

It’s a fair point but he is the only player and Rizwan in this test side who play positively in all conditions.

I bash them a lot for T20 and I don’t see myself ever changing that but they are two decent Test batsmen

 

[Zaz]

Best across formats ? Where was he during the T20 World Cup and Asia Cup ?

Yeah lets forget the fact hes been pretty good for the last 3-4 years in t20 cricket and only focus on the last two tournaments

 

[Sachin136]

Out of his 8 test centuries: five come in Pakistan despite just playing 14 innings there, while only 3 outside of Pakistan from 62 innings.

 

[The_KING]

He is nowhere near the best in tests or in T20s. Maybe only in ODIs, but that is the least irrelevant format in this day and age. Frankly speaking, after his disastrous performance in the recent T20 world cup, this thread has no merit and should be closed.

 

[The_KING]

Out of his 8 test centuries: five come in Pakistan despite just playing 14 innings there, while only 3 outside of Pakistan from 62 innings.

Home track bully.

 

[Zaz]

Home track bully.

Hardly Yes hes better at home but who isnt? He avges 47 away from home in the last 3 years

Its just that hes had a slow start to his test career Think he didnt score his first test century till his around his 20th test And now hes catching up

 

[Bilal7]

Fantastic batsman and the best in the world across formats. Well placed to surpass Kohli as Asia's best batsman by the time he hangs up his boots. His century was the most impressive in this match because it came in the most difficult conditions.

 

[Markhor]

Yeah lets forget the fact hes been pretty good for the last 3-4 years in t20 cricket and only focus on the last two tournaments

Babar failed when it mattered - he batted like a tailender for much of those two big tournaments.

What's worse was adamantly refusing to demote himself to #3 and continuing to hog the opening slot, hurting the team in the process.

Babar's world class in ODIs I give you that. He's very good in Tests although hasn't done enough overseas to be considered a Test ATG. However he's a mediocre T20 batsman by international standards.

His SR has declined steadily over the last few years, still hasn't developed his powerhitting game so struggles to exploit the PP, and has been repeatedly dismissed by legspinners. He wouldn't get into England's lineup.

The problem is Pakistan's lamentable batting standards mean anyone half decent who comes along with a few pretty cover drives and fans put them on a pedestal they don't belong.

 

[Buffet]

He is horrible in T20, decent in test and good in ODI format.

 

[Rana]

Embarrassing dismissal

 

[marzupian]

Mental midget. In the prime years of his career and he's bought into his own hype and superstar status. I guess he's an Akmal after all, such sort of an attitude runs in the family it seems. In the last few years with his rise he's become fatter, has just barely improved his English, is arrogant to journalists (we dominated, aur kuch hain?), stubborn under management sabotaging his own legacy for comfort (T20s), chokes under big matches and disappears but his fans will always excuse it - and last of all, a truly low IQ captain without much going on upstairs or a willingness to improve that. Couldn't even set a field against Crawley today with basic field positions nevermind be crafty with his bowling changes. So much authority for someone to tactically and mentally inept

Can't wait for him to score against B & C attacks. He had the potential to be a Pakistan ATG, versatile in all conditions and in all formats, and yet this is the garbage he decides to do. Can't wait for his fans to celebrates him hitting 100 (70) next year against the likes of Andile, Sisanda Magala, Fortuin, Shamsi and then hail him 'KING BABAR', 'KING BABAR'.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Another Babar malfunction. Far too many glitches for the world's supposedly eminent batspeople

 

[Markhor]

Mental midget. In the prime years of his career and he's bought into his own hype and superstar status. I guess he's an Akmal after all, such sort of an attitude runs in the family it seems. In the last few years with his rise he's become fatter, has just barely improved his English, is arrogant to journalists (we dominated, aur kuch hain?), stubborn under management sabotaging his own legacy for comfort (T20s), chokes under big matches and disappears but his fans will always excuse it - and last of all, a truly low IQ captain without much going on upstairs or a willingness to improve that. Couldn't even set a field against Crawley today with basic field positions nevermind be crafty with his bowling changes. So much authority for someone to tactically and mentally inept

Can't wait for him to score against B & C attacks. He had the potential to be a Pakistan ATG, versatile in all conditions and in all formats, and yet this is the garbage he decides to do. Can't wait for his fans to celebrates him hitting 100 (70) next year against the likes of Andile, Sisanda Magala, Fortuin, Shamsi and then hail him 'KING BABAR', 'KING BABAR'.

Well said. This is what happens when you give unchecked authority to one person.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Why is he continuously struggling against Bounce?

Good Batsman usually don't have much problems against bounce. Swing and seam are usually more difficult to counter.

 

[ChTab]

Overrated bottler. Has bottled everytime when Pakistan needed him

 

[Minnowbasher]

Softest player in the history of the game. Literally only scores when it's easy, completely wilts under pressure. Literally another Azhar Ali.

 

[Zaz]

Softest player in the history of the game. Literally only scores when it's easy, completely wilts under pressure. Literally another Azhar Ali.

Steady on

You are forgetting the fact he scored a big ton in the last series and helped save the test with the team batting a record number of 4th innings overs

 

[Mobashir]

People expect him to score a hundred in every innings ?

He is clearly the Best in the world.
Currently a top 5 cricketer with Smith, Stokes, Cummins and maybe Root.

No one else is as good as them. It's funny how supporters of a team loosing to Bangladesh, whitewashed by NZ keep commentating here.
They better go and see how can they find someone half as good as Babar on current form.

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Why is he continuously struggling against Bounce?

Good Batsman usually don't have much problems against bounce. Swing and seam are usually more difficult to counter.

He is weak against spin and bounce.

 

[Saj]

Not quite sure what he was trying to do today.

It was a short ball which he under-edged.

Could have dropped his hands and let the ball go through.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Overrated bottler. Has bottled everytime when Pakistan needed him

Pakistan didn't need him in the first inning?

 

[MenInG]

Not quite sure what he was trying to do today.

It was a short ball which he under-edged.

Could have dropped his hands and let the ball go through.

The worse part is that this pitch is so benign and to be out like this....

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/yg3lzp" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

 

[Zaz]

Yh poor shot that Why was he trying to run the ball down anyway

He shouldve dropped his hands and let the ball go

There was too much risk and little reward in that shot Its test cricket not odi and t20s

 

[Mamoon]

People expect him to score a hundred in every innings ?

He is clearly the Best in the world.
Currently a top 5 cricketer with Smith, Stokes, Cummins and maybe Root.

No one else is as good as them. It's funny how supporters of a team loosing to Bangladesh, whitewashed by NZ keep commentating here.
They better go and see how can they find someone half as good as Babar on current form.

Can’t play spin, can’t play bounce, can’t even play express pace anymore as his performance as Wood in the T20 series shows, can’t hit big shots, has only 1 Test hundred outside Asia but he is still “clearly the best in the world”.

The delusion is real.

 

[Savak]

He is going the Hashim Amla route. Where he will score many meaningless runs, when it matters it will be against B, C attacks, when it doesn't matter then on flat pitches in first innings, but will always fail in crucial second innings when the pressure and expectations are really high.

The hype of Babar Azam has truly been exposed in the past 4-5 months since the Asia T20 Cup. What makes it even worse is his clueless captaincy where he has been exposed where it is very clear he is a poor reader of the game.

 

[Suleiman]

He is going the Hashim Amla route. Where he will score many meaningless runs, when it matters it will be against B, C attacks, when it doesn't matter then on flat pitches in first innings, but will always fail in crucial second innings when the pressure and expectations are really high.

The hype of Babar Azam has truly been exposed in the past 4-5 months since the Asia T20 Cup. What makes it even worse is his clueless captaincy where he has been exposed where it is very clear he is a poor reader of the game.

Yep. Lol at the ones who compared him to Kohli. It will take a million years for him to go to Australia and do what Kohli did to a peak Johnson fresh off of a dominating Ashes, if he can’t even handle Ben Stokes the bowler on the most lifeless pitch in the world.