Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja, recently expressed his belief that Babar Azam has yet to fully realize his potential in Test cricket. Azam was notably omitted from Pakistan's squad for the last two Tests against England earlier this month, following a period of underperformance in the format. Despite his undeniable talent, Azam struggled to score a half-century in Test cricket for over two years, ultimately leading to his exclusion from the squad. Consequently, Pakistan emerged victorious in the final two matches, securing a 2-1 series win.
Having played 55 Tests, Babar Azam has amassed 3,997 runs at an impressive average of 43.92. However, his recent performances have been less than stellar. In 2023, Azam recorded an average of 22.66 from five Tests, which further declined to a disappointing 18.50 from four matches in 2024. Ramiz Raja emphasizes the importance of Azam showcasing his true potential, drawing comparisons to the legendary West Indies batsman, Vivian Richards.
"I feel Babar has to achieve a lot more in Test cricket. He plays the white-ball format really well, has an average of 50-plus in both the formats (T20I and ODI)...There is so much potential in Babar Azam," said Raja on his YouTube channel.
"Ab unko apne temperament se batana hai duniya mei ke woh ek Viv Richards hain (now he has to prove to the world with his temperament that he is Viv Richards). Bigger the contest, bigger the innings Richards used to play," he added.
Pakistan is scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Australia next month. This upcoming tour holds significant importance for the Men in Green as they will be under the leadership of their new white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan.
This series is particularly crucial for Babar Azam as he aims to showcase his batting prowess against the formidable Australian team. A strong performance in this series could potentially open doors for his return to the red-ball format. The tour is set to kick off on Monday, November 4, in Melbourne with the first ODI.
Also read| Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir resort to desperate '35-bowler' tactic ahead of IND vs NZ 3rd Test
