Sri Lanka cricket legend Mahela Jayawardene has identified Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, as the cricketer with the potential to surpass England’s Joe Root as the top Test batsman. Root has maintained his dominance in the Test rankings since June, exhibiting outstanding performances in the World Test Championship and benefiting from a prolific run of form under new coach Brendon McCullum. As the leading run-scorer since the beginning of the decade, Root rightfully earned the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year award in 2021.
On a recent episode of The ICC Review, Jayawardene, when asked about contenders to topple Root, expressed that Babar Azam could seize this opportunity. Highlighting Babar’s consistency across all three formats and his adaptability in various conditions, Jayawardene described him as a naturally gifted player. Babar currently holds the top spot in the white-ball formats and is ranked No.3 in Tests, making him the only player in the top three across all three formats.
While acknowledging the challenge of maintaining supremacy in T20Is and ODIs due to the competition from consistently performing players, Jayawardene voiced his belief in Babar’s capability to retain his rankings for a considerable period. He noted that Babar’s unique qualities, such as technique, composure, and adaptability, contribute to his consistent performances in T20Is, ODIs, and Tests.
Jayawardene drew a parallel between Joe Root and Babar Azam in Test cricket, emphasizing their shared ability to understand the game, control the tempo, and adapt to varying conditions. Looking ahead, the cricket world anticipates a face-off between these two stellar players when England tours Pakistan for a three-match Test series in December. While Root aims to strengthen his No.1 position in the upcoming series against South Africa, Babar will have the chance to make his ascent in the rankings during the series against England later in the year.
