As Pakistan get ready to face Australia in the Test series on challenging Australian soil, all eyes are on the batting prowess of their mainstay, Babar Azam.
With the pressure of captaincy now lifted, Babar Azam is expected to lead the batting charge for Pakistan.
Having a closer look at his past performances against Australia reveals a fascinating blend of adaptability and skill.
Overall brilliance
Babar Azam's overall performance against Australia in Test cricket from 2016 to 2022 is exceptional.
With a batting average of 44.38, he has amassed 799 runs in 10 matches, including two centuries and four fifties.
His highest score of 196 indicates his ability to anchor innings and play big innings against a formidable Australian bowling attack.
Match-winning contributions
Although Pakistan has not won many matches against Australia during Babar Azam’s reign, the star batter played a significant role in the match his team won against the formidable Australian side.
In the match where Pakistan emerged victorious, Babar Azam scored 99 runs in 173 balls, playing a crucial role in the team’s success.
Although he narrowly missed out on his century, the star batter stood as the highest run scorer for the side, as they accumulated 400 runs in the second innings to win the match.
His average of almost 49 in this case reflected his importance in the batting line-up of Pakistan.
Performance down under
Babar Azam’s performance during the Australia tours may not shine as brightly, as he averages 27.80 in 5 Test matches.
However, his innings of 104 runs in 2019 in Brisbane displayed glimpses of his potential to adapt to the challenging Australian conditions.
Captaincy era
Leading from the front, both as a batter and a captain, Babar scored 390 runs in 3 matches in the previous series at home, including a breathtaking innings of 196, which was the highest score by a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match.
Babar Azam averages 78 against Australia as a captain.
However, as he steps down from the captaincy for the upcoming series, it remains to be seen how this change will impact his performance.
This series will mark Babar Azam’s first task after resigning from the role of captain.
