Ramiz Raja backs Babar Azam to rediscover batting form
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Ramiz Raja, has backed star batter Babar Azam to shine in Test cricket. Raja's statement comes after Babar was rested for the last two Tests against England following a string of disappointing performances. Despite not having scored a half-century in 18 innings, Raja is still hopeful about Babar's future in the longest format.
Raja compares Babar to cricket legend Viv Richards
Raja compared Babar's white-ball performances and his need to prove himself in high-pressure matches to legendary West Indies batter Viv Richards. He said on his YouTube channel, "I feel Babar has to achieve a lot more in Test cricket." "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.
Babar's return to Pakistan team
Babar will return to the Pakistan team on their upcoming tour of Australia, where he has been picked in both ODI and T20I squads. This will be Pakistan's first ODI since the 2023 World Cup, where they failed to reach the semi-finals under Babar's leadership. Despite the setbacks, Babar was named ICC ODI Cricketer of the year in 2021 and 2022 consecutively, and still leads the ICC ODI batters rankings.
Pakistan's upcoming tours and Babar's role
Babar, along with Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, have been recalled for the Australia tour after being dropped from the Test squad. Apart from the Australia tour, Pakistan will also tour Zimbabwe for three ODIs and three T20Is. The white-ball teams will be led by newly-appointed skipper Mohammad Rizwan, except in the T20I series in Zimbabwe where Salman Agha will take over captaincy duties.
