Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Zahid has praised the technical prowess of batting maestro Babar Azam, calling him the most skillful batsman globally.
While speaking on Basit Ali’s YouTube channel, Zahid acknowledged Babar’s superior technique but suggested that Smith and Root excel in performance and game intelligence.
He ranks Smith first, Root second, and Babar third, noting that while Babar possesses exceptional ability, Smith and Root offer more strategic insight into the art of batting.
“If you ask me skill-wise, it is Babar Azam. Babar has the best technique among all batters. However, when we talk about performances and the knowledge of batting, Joe Root and Steve Smith are on another level. They don’t have the kind of ability that Babar has, but they are more clever when it comes to game assessment. I would rank Steve Smith at one, Joe Root at second, and then Babar Azam.” Zahid remarked.
Babar Azam, despite being a prolific scorer across all cricket formats in recent years, is not universally regarded as the best batter in the world. The right-handed Pakistan captain has consistently been a key player for his team but has faced challenges recently.
Since his international debut in 2015, Babar has amassed 52 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 123 T20Is. In Tests, he has accumulated 3,898 runs, including 9 centuries and 26 half-centuries.
His immaculate ODI record boasts 5,729 runs at an impressive average of 56.72, featuring 19 centuries and 32 half-centuries. In T20Is, he has scored 4,145 runs, supported by 3 centuries and 36 half-centuries.
Despite these remarkable numbers, Babar is often not listed among the best in the world and recently his performances in the T20I World Cup were below par.
The 48-year-old stated that Rohit Sharma is a better batter than Kohli in current form while emphasizing that Rohit is very similar to Inzamam Ul Haq in terms of style of play.
“Nobody can deny Virat Kohli. However, I’d rate Rohit Sharma higher than Kohli. Rohit is the best batsman in the world at present. He is very courageous against fast bowlers. He is a gifted player. He picks the length very quickly, like how Inzaman-ul-Haq used to do.” the former Pakistani cricketer concluded.
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Former Pakistani used to lost against India in world cup because of their mental capabilities. Although, they were far better in physical strength. They are evaluating Babar on same scale while in terms of match awareness Babar is not 50% of Kholi.