Is Babar Azam the greatest Pakistani batsman of all time?
Babar Azam may be one of the most polarizing figures in the game of cricket today. The first cousin to the Akmal brothers has his fair share of detractors, ranging from cricketing legends like Inzamam-ul-Haq to former teammates like Imad Wasim.
Either way, Azam has an Imran Khan or Shahid Afridi-like appeal to the Pakistani fan base. Some love him; others don't. However, no one can deny or ignore the skipper of the Green Army.
As a batsman, the generational talent leaves little to be desired. Babar Azam is the backbone of a fragile Pakistani batting order that banks heavily on his reliability. His consistency is second to none across all formats. A glance at his mouth-watering record is a testament to his undeniable credibility as a once-in-a-lifetime batter.
Azam was the second fastest to 2,000 ODI runs, behind Hashim Amla. The South African opener beat him to the chase there, but the Lahore-born cricketer is on track to overtake Amla to 5,000 runs in the fifty-over format. Setting this remarkable record would make him the first to accomplish such a feat in less than a hundred innings.
More recently, Babar Azam broke Muhammad Yousuf's long-standing record for the most runs in a calendar year by a Pakistani batsman.
The captain smashed nearly 2,500 runs across all formats in 2022, becoming the leading run-scorer over the last 12 months. In the same year, he was named ODI Cricketer of the Year and Men's Cricketer of the Year.
Babar Azam, the first Pakistani player to win the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year award 👊 https://t.co/wgpwXDgRLq
"King Bobby," as referred to by his most ardent supporters, belongs to the elite league of world-class batsmen including the likes of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root.
Babar Azam's batting prowess reminds us of some of Pakistan's greatest cricketers
Babar Azam makes a compelling case for the greatest Pakistani batsman of all time. After all, he can drive the ball through the covers with the technical prowess of Muhammad Yusuf, cut through deep square with the power of Inzamam-ul-Haq, run between the wickets with the superhuman agility of Shoaib Malik, and anchor the innings with the resilience of Misbah-ul-Haq.
Despite making it look easy, the Pakistani skipper has struck a precise balance of class, technique, charisma, athleticism, and mental fortitude to establish himself as a generational talent.
The true mark of Azam's value to the Green Army can be realized when one recognizes how he has stepped up for his country in trying times. Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, and Younis Khan retired from ODIs in 2015 following the World Cup. Soon, Khan and Ul-Haq quit Test cricket too. The next few years were particularly rough as even established talents like Muhammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, and Shoaib Malik struggled.
However, a young and committed Babar Azam entered the spotlight to fill the void left by the departure of some of cricket's biggest names. He stabilized the batting order during one of its most vulnerable phases.
One doesn't need a firm knowledge of cricket to appreciate the 28-year-old. Few things are as crisp to the ear and mesmerizing to the eye as a cover drive from King Bobby. Former English cricketer and commentator Nasser Hussein has heavily praised Azam's flawless stroke play in the past.
Nasser Hussain (in Sky Sports) said "There is nothing better than a Babar Azam cover-drive".
However, there are flaws in Azam's game that need to be addressed if he is to improve his legacy. His strike rate, especially for T20s, could use a long-range launch pad. Striking the white ball at less than 120 last year, Azam lags behind the cream of the crop in the shortest format of international cricket.
His reluctance to adapt his game to utilize all corners of the ground is a significant impediment. Modern cricketers like Jos Butler and Suryakumar Yadav have impressive strike rates, and their ability to hit the ball to virtually every region of the field is a significant reason for their success.
Furthermore, Babar Azam's orthodox batting style that emphasizes immaculate timing and effective shot selection leaves him vulnerable to cunning spinners, who often manage to trap him in the crease and create opportunities for a relatively avoidable dismissal. A good example of this is the way Adil Rashid dismissed him during the 2022 T20 Cricket World Cup final. Perhaps more movement of the feet to make room would serve him better.
Love him or hate him; one cannot deny the batting prowess of the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year 2022. It is a treat to watch him bat, one that the Green Army should cherish until he hangs up his boots. Obviously, he's still young and has a long career ahead of him. Hence, it may be too soon to call him the GOAT among Pakistani batsmen. However, if he continues at his current pace and adapts his style to the modern game, Babar Azam will very likely achieve the feat.