Does Babar Azam have a chance as going down as the best ODI batsmen ever?

[PaulLennon]

Group stage 100 in a must-win match...but you do you.

must-win only cause they lost so badly in the early matches. it is still a group stage match.

kohli too has a 2015 hundred against pak.

 

[PaulLennon]

Kohli does have a group stage 100 (against Pakistan in 2015 WC), but yeah, has a penchant for going missing when it matters the most.

had good knock in the 11 final as well as 13 ct final.

 

[jayjay]

must-win only cause they lost so badly in the early matches. it is still a group stage match.

kohli too has a 2015 hundred against pak.

But a must-win situation, against a team that would go on to be finalists is a knock out situation and Babar stood up.

Like I said, you do you, Kohli King of Bilaterals

 

[jayjay]

had good knock in the 11 final as well as 13 ct final.

Wow, standards must be low if scoring 30-odd in a final, in a match which was already set up is not just considered good but compared to other batsman scoring match winning knocks in must win situations. The CT 13 final was a joke, a 20 over game to decide an ODI tournament.

 

[jayjay]

I'm not even looking to throw shade on KOhli, who is one of my all time faves and as a cross format batsman, imo anyway, one of the best ever to do it but if we want to compare tournament performances, Kohli can't even tie Babar's boots:

Since 2010 here are the highest tournament batting averages (including asia cup for asian players):

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
KC Sangakkara (SL)	2011-2015	25	24	6	1476	134*	82.00	1600	92.25	7	6	1	148	14
Yuvraj Singh (INDIA)	2011-2017	14	12	5	467	113	66.71	526	88.78	1	5	1	52	5
Babar Azam (PAK)	2017-2022	30	30	5	1665	158	66.60	1800	92.50	6	7	1	175	16
V Kohli (INDIA)	2011-2022	49	48	9	1981	136	50.79	2188	90.53	3	14	2	183	18

Look at where Kohli ranks, Smith, Root and Williamson all rank above too. Williamson also has better knocks, Smith has tournament winning knocks. Babar's conversion rate is phenomenal, while playing in far weaker sides. just goes to show how he carries the entire batting line up.

Not to mention Babar is also striking at a higher rate, so KOhli, who is supposedly a better striker of the ball can't even beta him in that regard.

The argument on who is the better tournament player, in both context and stats is dead, done, over with.

Do with this what you like, whinge, moan, try sarky comments, fact is, the debate is over.

 

[Tom Flint]

It's true those guys working on an oil rig for months at a time in the middle of the ocean always talk about how lucky they are not to be captaining a cricket team

Tbf if you work on a rig out at sea you only do about 6 months a year and get paid to stay at home the other 6 months. So not all bad

 

[TheJediBrah]

Not to mention Babar is also striking at a higher rate, so KOhli, who is supposedly a better striker of the ball can't even beta him in that regard.

You mean alpha him, like you just alpha'd PaulLennon

 

[PaulLennon]

I'm not even looking to throw shade on KOhli, who is one of my all time faves and as a cross format batsman, imo anyway, one of the best ever to do it but if we want to compare tournament performances, Kohli can't even tie Babar's boots:

Since 2010 here are the highest tournament batting averages (including asia cup for asian players):

Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
KC Sangakkara (SL)	2011-2015	25	24	6	1476	134*	82.00	1600	92.25	7	6	1	148	14
Yuvraj Singh (INDIA)	2011-2017	14	12	5	467	113	66.71	526	88.78	1	5	1	52	5
Babar Azam (PAK)	2017-2022	30	30	5	1665	158	66.60	1800	92.50	6	7	1	175	16
V Kohli (INDIA)	2011-2022	49	48	9	1981	136	50.79	2188	90.53	3	14	2	183	18

Look at where Kohli ranks, Smith, Root and Williamson all rank above too. Williamson also has better knocks, Smith has tournament winning knocks. Babar's conversion rate is phenomenal, while playing in far weaker sides. just goes to show how he carries the entire batting line up.

Not to mention Babar is also striking at a higher rate, so KOhli, who is supposedly a better striker of the ball can't even beta him in that regard.

The argument on who is the better tournament player, in both context and stats is dead, done, over with.

Do with this what you like, whinge, moan, try sarky comments, fact is, the debate is over.

It's over cause you lost.

Asia cup - the tournament which is so unimportant that Kohli skipped last time and India coasted to an easy win with twin victories over Pakistan who lost to Bangladesh.

 

[jayjay]

You mean alpha him, like you just alpha'd PaulLennon

HAHA yes...but I meant to type beat* lol

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Get a room you two

 

[Xix2565]

Yeah, a padded one with straitjackets on. Jeez this is idiotic.

 

[nightprowler10]

Enough of this idiotic posting. First and last warning.

 

[honestbharani]

Remember the time when India toured Pak in 2004 and Rameez was PCB CEO or Chairman, and our PM travelled by bus to Pak and then so many Pak families let Indians stay with them as guests to attend those matches in that 2004 series?

 

[Burner]

He doesn't have it imo. Not Viv or Sachin.

 

[Bijed]

Imo he's in that position that a few players have found themselves in where they've done everything the theoretical best (or in tests, second best) batsmen ever would need to have done so far, but there's a long way to go before they claim that title (and that's not meant to belittle his achievements)

Additionally, I do sort of feel that as far as ODIs are concerned, in a lot of people's minds he might be the wrong type of player to be the best in the format. It's not that he can't or doesn't score quickly (and I'll freely admit that my impression of him might be wrong as as I don't actually see a lot of him), but players with more perceived destructive ability than him (at least, relative to their era) will probably instinctively sit above him for a lot of people unless he reaches absurd levels of statistical dominance

 

[jayjay]

I alpha'd lennon so hard my post was deleted

But back on topic, good post above. Babar is certainly in the discussion but he still has a career to go.

However the perception that Azam doesn't score quickly is always false, his SR is one of the best for a guy with that type of average. I'd rather Babar in a side than say Roy, Maxwell, Bairstow, Buttler and co.

 

[jayjay]

Remember the time when India toured Pak in 2004 and Rameez was PCB CEO or Chairman, and our PM travelled by bus to Pak and then so many Pak families let Indians stay with them as guests to attend those matches in that 2004 series?

I remember that series very well. Broadcast here in the UK on...I want to say sky or was it elsewhere? Anyway, it was great stuff and a true show of Pakistani hospitality with some thrilling cricketing moments too. Is this the series that made MS?

 

[ParwazHaiJunoon]

However the perception that Azam doesn't score quickly is always false, his SR is one of the best for a guy with that type of average. I'd rather Babar in a side than say Roy, Maxwell, Bairstow, Buttler and co.

Astaghfar ?

 

[Kirkut]

Babar doesn't have a repertoire of aerial shots during pressure chases, this shortcoming reminds me of VVS Laxman who would play imperious drives but threw his wicket when he attempted to loft the ball to clear the ropes.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Babar doesn't have a repertoire of aerial shots during pressure chases, this shortcoming reminds me of VVS Laxman who would play imperious drives but threw his wicket when he attempted to loft the ball to clear the ropes.

wow pretty harsh on Babar, already one of the greatest ODI batsmen, to compare him to VVS who couldn't play ODIs to save his life