Virat Kohli and Babar Azam | Photo Credit: AP
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur on Monday revealed that he was a little early in predicting that Babar Azam would catch Indian captain Virat Kohli's level when asked about the Pakistani opener a few years ago, but he now expects him to break into the top-five batsman league very soon.
Babar had single-handedly carried Pakistan's chase to another mammoth total in the do-or-die clash against South Africa on Sunday. He scored a 58-ball 90 lacing 14 boundaries before Pakistan fell seven short of the target of 189.
"I have never doubted Babar. I said two years ago that he was going to be that good," Arthur said. "The exciting thing is that we haven't seen the best of him yet. He is going to get better and better. There were always question marks on Babar's ability to perform outside the subcontinent. He has been unbelievable on this tour and he has put those questions to rest."
Babar kicked off his career as an opener in the shortest format of the game under Arthur for Karachi Kings in the second season of Pakistan Super League. He has since then scored 1159 runs scoring at an average of 55.20 - is the highest average within the timeframe. Not just in T20Is, he averages over 50 in the ODI format as well. He scored 195 runs in five innings against South Africa recently at 48.75 which includes one fifty.
"Two years ago when I saw him in the nets I said that he was going to be as good as Virat Kohli. From a young boy back then he has developed into a man now. He has got stronger and fitter. And, I certainly think he is going to be in the top five in the world across all formats very, very soon."
Babar was also among the top run-getters in the Test series against South Africa where he scored 221 runs which included a couple of fifties.
"I have never doubted Babar Azam, he keeps on getting better and better and the exciting thing for us is that we haven't seen the best of Azam yet. He has been unbelievable on this tour. There have been question marks around Azam outside the sub-continent but I think he's put those to rest now."
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