Whether or not Babar Azam ranks among the Fab Four purely in terms of his batting productivity is one thing, but where he stands in the attractiveness stakes is quite another.
If you ask his admirers, he’s right at the top of the tree, and he provided another example of his aesthetic qualities on the first day of Pakistan’s second Test against South Africa, heading to stumps unbeaten on 77. A clip posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board showed him in full flow.
However, what really had people in awe was a fan-made compilation, which showed Babar stroking it gloriously to all parts. Starting with a ramp shot just to the wicketkeeper’s right, the minute-long clip continued with clips of Babar hitting boundaries squarer and squarer, and then straighter and straighter, before showing him dissecting the leg-side in a similar fashion.
The video showed shots lofted and grounded, caressed off the front and back foot, in all three formats of the game. The common theme was that each was middled to perfection.
“It’s the two shots from 42 secs on, somewhere between a jab and a gentle tap, I think are perhaps unique to him,” wrote ESPNcricinfo’s Osman Samiuddin. “He got to 50 today in Pindi with similar one. Looks almost awkward, yet timing is nearly always impeccable.”
Watch the sumptuous compilation below:
1 min of Babar Azam sending the ball to every part of the boundary starting from the keeper's right to his left.pic.twitter.com/qO49eB1VGS
— Ali Sharjeel (Hafiz) (@alisharjeel_3) February 4, 2021
