"All 3 bowlers can test Babar Azam properly" - Gautam Gambhir on Pakistan skipper heading into Asia Cup clash against India after a century
Gautam Gambhir believes Babar Azam will be challenged by India's seam attack despite heading into the game on the back of a century in Pakistan's Asia Cup 2023 opener against Nepal.
The two arch-rivals will lock horns in a Group A clash in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. Babar scored 151 runs off 131 deliveries in his side's 238-run win against the Asia Cup debutants and will hope to continue in the same vein against the Men in Blue.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Gambhir was asked whether Babar had given a message to India with his knock against Nepal. While observing that the Pakistan skipper doesn't have anything to prove, the cricketer-turned-commentator opined that he would be tested by India's seamers, stating:
"Babar Azam doesn't need to give any message. He has given a message in the 104 matches he has played. If you can score 19 centuries in 104 matches, I believe he will be in the top two or three players in all formats. So he doesn't need to give a message."
The former Indian opener added:
"However, it will be a good contest. He will be tested against the Indian fast bowling. You will get to see an Indian attack after a long time, where all three bowlers (Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj) can test Babar Azam properly."
Gambhir feels Babar would also be keen to showcase his prowess against arguably the best opposition bowling attack of the tournament. He said:
"Babar Azam's real testing will not happen against Nepal, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, it will be against India. Such players also want to test themselves against this kind of bowling."
Babar has amassed 5353 runs at an excellent average of 59.47 in 104 ODIs. However, he does not have a great record against India, having aggregated 158 innings in five innings at an underwhelming average of 31.60.
"We talk very little about Kuldeep Yadav" - Mohammad Kaif on the other threat for Babar Azam
Mohammad Kaif expects Kuldeep Yadav to also pose a threat to Pakistan's batting mainstay. He observed:
"Even if he plays out Bumrah and Shami, you have Kuldeep Yadav in the middle. We talk very little about Kuldeep Yadav. He is in very good form and he dismissed Babar through the gate in the 2019 World Cup."
Kuldeep bowled a well-set Babar for 48 in the 2019 World Cup clash between the two sides. The dismissal triggered a collapse as Pakistan lost four wickets for 12 runs and eventually lost the game by 89 runs via the DLS method.