Will Babar Azam break Virat's record of 50 ODI Centuries ?

[asfandyar]

As bad as Babar is right now, he could have been a genuinely great batsman if he didn't lose his way when he was made the captain some 2 years ago.

He was a seriously high quality batsman vs pace. I remember in 2020 in that test series vs England, he made some 68 odd in 1st match which was such a high quality innings that Anderson looked visibly awed. He later said Babar makes you feel slow. Ricky Ponting who is a blunt pundit with a great eye knew right away in 2019 tour of Australia that Babar was technically brilliant.

But Babar ceased to grow as a batsman and infact started to decline due to complacency. His spin deficiencies became apparent in the subcontinent but he simply refused to improve. I've seen far far less technically correct batsman find a method to handle spin but Babar as if didn't even make an effort.

His white ball batting too became stale and outdated and has now reached a point where he is no longer a dependable bat and frankly, a nothing player currently.

Babar needs to dedicate himself completely to his craft ie. batting and have a Joe "50" Root like resurgence. The challenge though is tests should be Babar's best format and we neither play enough tests nor are any good at it. So it looks bleak from here on too.

As captain (62.72 vs pace)

Batting records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

Not as captain (47.11 vs pace)

Batting records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

 

[VForVendetta]

Exactly

I would argue the same for Jaysuriya as well. Absolute beast players of their era

Anwar, Sanath, Waugh Jr. all would have feasted in the current era.

 

[VForVendetta]

Babar will probably be the last batsman to score 10k odi runs

No, that would be Rohit.

 

[Marooned]

As captain (62.72 vs pace)

Batting records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

Not as captain (47.11 vs pace)

Batting records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

Doesn't mean anything. If you saw the matches you know how and against who the runs were scored. For eg. An avg of 40 in 2019 SA away series is far better than whatever avg he produced in that pathetic Australia home series.

Babar has been in decline as a batter for over a year now.

 

[VForVendetta]

Nobody is ever touching Kohli's hundreds or Sachin's aggregate runs or Murali's wicket tally. The format has lost it's relevancy & will continue to shrink further with every passing year. Realistically Babar will be able to feature in maximum 200 matches at the end of his career, that too if he is allowed to continue the clique tradition of playing every single match physically possible. Rohit will be the last batsman to enter the 10k club as Shakib will be the last bowler to grab 300 scalps unless someone goes on a rampage in either formats. It would be an incredible achievement for Babar if he even somehow manages to surpass Sanath/Ponting's numbers.

 

[MANU ROY]

Babar can get 50 odi centuries but pcb need to arrange a long tour like Nepal vs Pakistan 3 odi then triangular series againsts uae and Malaysia

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Hopefully 7 years down the line the thread title changes to Babar broke Virats record like it did for Virat vs Sachin.
I feel he has a genuine shout at the record. 5 centuries a year is at minimum expected from him so that is 35 more which can take total to 54 ODI centuries. I do have confidence that he will reach there.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Not sure about this. Pakistan is not playing ODIs till next year and i am sure there will not many in the future as well. Breaking this record will take around 300 matches for babar but he is not going to play that many.

 

[adi_62941]

I think Babar has been figured out by bigger teams. He is seriously struggling against spin bowling, and his feet seem to be going nowhere when facing spinners. He has been dismissed at midwicket while attempting shots numerous times in this World Cup.

He needs to step up and perform in pressure situations.

 

[adi_62941]

Hopefully 7 years down the line the thread title changes to Babar broke Virats record like it did for Virat vs Sachin.
I feel he has a genuine shout at the record. 5 centuries a year is at minimum expected from him so that is 35 more which can take total to 54 ODI centuries. I do have confidence that he will reach there.

How will Babar break the record with the fixtures Pakistan has in the coming years? Sachin and Virat had played 250+ ODIs at the same age as Babar is now.

Babar needs at least 250+ ODIs, 120 Tests, and 250+ T20Is if he ever wants to come close to Sachin or Virat's records. However, this seems impossible considering the limited number of matches Pakistan is scheduled to play in the coming years

 

[mominsaigol]

People are acting as if kohli isn't gonna play for 4 more years.

Kohli is 35 but let's be honest. His fitness level is that of a 25 year old.

This lad will play till 2027

Plenty more centuries to come.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

People are acting as if kohli isn't gonna play for 4 more years.

Kohli is 35 but let's be honest. His fitness level is that of a 25 year old.

This lad will play till 2027

Plenty more centuries to come.

The question is how many matches kohli will play in during that time period?

 

[jnaveen1980]

The question is how many matches kohli will play in during that time period?

Last 2 years he skipped 20 ODIs

 

[topspin]

I would back Babar to score 4 or 5 centuries against Nepal in a 7 match ODI series. If they can have one of these each year, there's no reason why he can't make it to 50 hundreds in ODIs.

 

[Buffet]

I would back Babar to score 4 or 5 centuries against Nepal in a 7 match ODI series. If they can have one of these each year, there's no reason why he can't make it to 50 hundreds in ODIs.

+1

Also, Babar should be back at rank 1 as well after WC. I would back at least 3 Pakistani batsmen to be among the top 10 rank after 1-2 years of WC.

Other players will start skipping matches and lose points for each skipped matches.

 

[sweep_shot]

Nobody is ever touching Kohli's hundreds or Sachin's aggregate runs or Murali's wicket tally. The format has lost it's relevancy & will continue to shrink further with every passing year. Realistically Babar will be able to feature in maximum 200 matches at the end of his career, that too if he is allowed to continue the clique tradition of playing every single match physically possible. Rohit will be the last batsman to enter the 10k club as Shakib will be the last bowler to grab 300 scalps unless someone goes on a rampage in either formats. It would be an incredible achievement for Babar if he even somehow manages to surpass Sanath/Ponting's numbers.

Shakib already crossed 300 wickets. He has 317 ODI wickets now.

I agree with you that ODI format is slowly becoming irrelevant. It is now mostly about T20. Even T10 is starting to rise in popularity.

So, Babar or anyone else may not reach 50 centuries in ODI format.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Kohli's innings construction especially while chasing is unique. This requires elite fitness. It is just not possible for everyone. You need to be supremely athletic to take a lot of singles and twos and have power in reserves to attack in the back end. All this without cramping. Guys like Rohit sharma can get to 100s by hitting fours and sixes. Kohli doesn't do unless it is necessary.

 

[160KPH]

No one will ever break the record. ODIs are being phased out pretty rapidly and most of the fan’s interest in ODIs has shifted towards T20s. Just look at Pakistani’s ODI schedule - no ODIs for the next year.

 

[jnaveen1980]

No one will ever break the record. ODIs are being phased out pretty rapidly and most of the fan’s interest in ODIs has shifted towards T20s. Just look at Pakistani’s ODI schedule - no ODIs for the next year.

Gill will get close for sure.

 

[160KPH]

Gill will get close for sure.

Yeah I think Gill has the biggest chance and probably would have, but I don’t think he’ll play enough ODIs to have the chance to.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Yeah I think Gill has the biggest chance and probably would have, but I don’t think he’ll play enough ODIs to have the chance to.

Even if we play regularly you need a specific type of game to achieve that. Kohli played a unique role of Consolidator + Finisher especially while chasing. He could maintain the rate with singles and twos and shifts 4th or 5th gear towards the end. or even in the middle with risk free stroke play. THis is why career run rate can be misleading for guys like Kohli who handled multiple roles. Because of this his centuries were inevitable rather than he was chasing after them. Only recently i see him chase because of how long he had to wait for just one century after COVID. Among the modern guys Gill is the closest who is likely to adopt that role. He just has to tighten his game like Kohli had in 2014/15/16 period. Kohli missed 20 matches in the last 2 years.


Look at this year

Kohli 23 innings 6 centuries
Babar 24 innings 2 centuries
Gill 28 innings 5 centuries

Babar was world no.1 for the best part of the year. Gill is no.1 ranked player. Not like Kohli's strike rate is poor because of centuries. His strike rate is 99.97. Babar's 84. Gill's 105. Even now he is able to stay above the pack wrt centuries. GIll has a lot of room for improvement. So he is the most likely to get close to 50. Who knows. If he finds a crazy peak like Kohli he might eventually touch. But it depends on when Kohli retires.

 

[kingusama92]

People are acting as if kohli isn't gonna play for 4 more years.

Kohli is 35 but let's be honest. His fitness level is that of a 25 year old.

This lad will play till 2027

Plenty more centuries to come.

Yeah, Kohli is going to follow Tndulkar's path and retire around 39-40.

Likely right after the 2027 WC.

He has a lot to offer still and by the time he's done that ODI record is going to be sealed in stone as the format begins to give way to more T20Is.

 

[VForVendetta]

Shakib already crossed 300 wickets. He has 317 ODI wickets now.

I agree with you that ODI format is slowly becoming irrelevant. It is now mostly about T20. Even T10 is starting to rise in popularity.

So, Babar or anyone else may not reach 50 centuries in ODI format.

You did not read the post properly. I am well aware of Shakib's milestone, I know he already had done it before the wc started. What I meant to say was that Rohit & Shakib are the last two individuals to enter that elite club for the unseeable future if not forever due to the dire circumstances & uncertainty regarding odi future.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Yeah, Kohli is going to follow Tndulkar's path and retire around 39-40.

Likely right after the 2027 WC.

He has a lot to offer still and by the time he's done that ODI record is going to be sealed in stone as the format begins to give way to more T20Is.

THere was a period Srilankan team was half decent with Sangakkara, Matthews, Chandimal. During that period lot of matches were played to help Srilankan cricket board. That is not going to happen anymore with the turmoil SL board is in.

 

[VForVendetta]

Even if we play regularly you need a specific type of game to achieve that. Kohli played a unique role of Consolidator + Finisher especially while chasing. He could maintain the rate with singles and twos and shifts 4th or 5th gear towards the end. or even in the middle with risk free stroke play. THis is why career run rate can be misleading for guys like Kohli who handled multiple roles. Because of this his centuries were inevitable rather than he was chasing after them. Only recently i see him chase because of how long he had to wait for just one century after COVID. Among the modern guys Gill is the closest who is likely to adopt that role. He just has to tighten his game like Kohli had in 2014/15/16 period. Kohli missed 20 matches in the last 2 years.


Look at this year

Kohli 23 innings 6 centuries
Babar 24 innings 2 centuries
Gill 28 innings 5 centuries

Babar was world no.1 for the best part of the year. Gill is no.1 ranked player. Not like Kohli's strike rate is poor because of centuries. His strike rate is 99.97. Babar's 84. Gill's 105. Even now he is able to stay above the pack wrt centuries. GIll has a lot of room for improvement. So he is the most likely to get close to 50. Who knows. If he finds a crazy peak like Kohli he might eventually touch. But it depends on when Kohli retires.

Gill is not passing Kohli, no one is going to sniff that record, mate. You can't expect to chase such a humongous record by potentially playing only around 100 matches in next eight years. Kohli, Sachin, Murali all of them are safe & simply out of reach for future generation.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Gill is not passing Kohli, no one is going to sniff that record, mate. You can't expect to chase such a humongous record by potentially playing only around 100 matches in next eight years. Kohli, Sachin, Murali all of them are safe & simply out of reach for future generation.

YEs very hard to pass. But he is the only one who can get close as these two are similar.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Yes Indeed babar is very much capable!

If he plays a similar number of ODIs obviously he can get very close or maybe even break the record for the most centuries.

 

[topspin]

25 out of 50 centuries came against SL, Windies, BD, and Zimbabwe. Wow!

If Tendulkar, Anwar, Jayasuriya etc. played so many games against weak sides, they probably would've scored 50-60 centuries too.

What do you mean “wow”?

You do realise Kohli has nearly the same number of ODI hundreds than the history of Bangladesh cricket in 50 over cricket?

 

[topspin]

I would like to see Kohli play until the 2027 ODI World Cup but I wonder how burnt out he is playing at this level for all this time.