Ever his since emrgence, Pakistan’s batting sensation Babar Azam has been compared continuously with modern day cricket great and run machine current Team India skipper Virat Kohli.
Comparisons are not for mere formality but Babar Azam has been pushing the comparisions by his consistant performances. It is not mean acheivment to be in top five rankings of all three formats. Currently he is the only one in the top five of the ICC Rankings in all three formats and is the only player to do so.
Now taking the comparisons a bit higher, Cricket Passion while quoting former Pakistan Skipper Ramiz Raja has said that Babar has the potentential to go past Virat Kohli.
“For Babar Azam, the sky is the limit. Until and unless he gets the environment which is encouraging and engaging, he won’t be able to live up to his potential,”Ramiz Raja has been quoted by Cricket Pakistan. .
“He has the potential to even beat Virat Kohli but he needs to free up [his mind] and not think about losing. As soon as he does that and thinks about scoring runs and winning, he will remain a great player for a very long time,” Raja said.
25 year old Babar Who is only in his his fifth year of International cricket has shown that his batting is truly magnificent and it is always a treat to watch him bat.
Babar Azam averages a staggering 54.18 in the ODIs after playing 74 matches and has amassed 3359 runs so far with 11 centuries and 15 fifties. His consistency in the shortest format of the game leaves many in awe. He has mustered 1471 runs in just 38 innings in the T20Is with as many as 13 half-centuries.
However, when it comes to the Test format, he is getting better. Currently, he averages 45.12 after 26 Tests and recently had a brilliant Australia tour. Babar Azam himself will be itching to living up to his potential in the purest form of the game in the years to come.
(With Inputs from CricTracker)