When Pakistan crumbled to 21-2 in the 23rd over, with close to five sessions of Test cricket remaining at Karachi, almost every cricket fan in the country feared the worst but longed for one batter to arrest the slide – Babar Azam.

At that juncture, Pakistan’s boat had begun creaking. Australia had established themselves and only a herculean effort could save the hosts from wilting under pressure. So, it was only fair for thousands to hope for Babar to find the perfect blend of style and substance and of course, lead from the front.

In the recent past, though, the promise in the longest format hadn’t materialised into persistent returns. His numbers weren’t bad – between July 2020 and the second Test against Australia, he was averaging a tick above 38. However, when talking about a batter of his class and calibre, it just didn’t seem enough.

Prior to the 2nd Test at Karachi, Babar last scored a Test century in February 2020 – against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi. He was still getting starts but he didn’t convert any of them into especially match-defining contributions.

Ever since his debut, there has never been any doubt about his batting pedigree. At times, he can make the mundane look mesmerising. His repertoire of strokes is also as expansive as any in the sport. He also has a relatively solid defensive technique and can thwart almost any challenge thrown at him.

What has been under a slight cloud, though, is perhaps his tendency to not stand up when his team requires him most in Test cricket. With the sort of talent he has, Babar should not be content with just scoring pretty 30s and 40s.

And on Tuesday at Karachi, it came together beautifully. Not only did Babar conjure a sublime century, he barely seemed to break sweat while doing so, despite the pitch deteriorating and Australia rarely allowing him many scoring opportunities. The Pakistan captain still managed to score at a strike rate of 51.77. There were only 12 boundaries but almost each of them was crafted with surgeon-like precision. He was also steadfast in defence and had an answer to every question Australia posed.

He also became only the second Pakistan skipper (after Younis Khan) to muster a ton in the fourth innings of a Test – a tally he can add to on Wednesday.

In isolation, this was a Test hundred that was emblematic of what Babar brings to the international circuit. It had grace, it had graft but above all, it had plenty of runs. The more urgent problem, though, has been that these have remained glorious aberrations in the past couple of years. Babar might be aware of it but the onus is now on him to change this narrative moving forward.

From that perspective, it seems that this century has come at the most opportune moment for the Pakistan skipper. Not just in terms of where the game is placed, but also because Babar, at 27 years of age, is entering what could be dubbed the peak years of his career. And, for a batter who has rightly been labelled one of the greatest batting talents to have ever emerged from Pakistan, it is a bit of a travesty that he has only two Test hundreds (since 2020) to show for it.

To add to the theatre, Babar, moments after reaching the three-figure mark, signalled to the dressing room that he had everything under control. He also asked them to remain calm – just like they do when he weaves his magic regularly in white-ball cricket.

Deep inside, though, it could be a gesture telling himself and the rest of Pakistan that this is just the start of him realising his vast potential in Test cricket. And that when Pakistan find themselves in precarious positions, he’s the individual they can bet their house on. The best part is that he still remains capable of so much more.

Prior to the Karachi game, there were only glimpses of his genius in the Test arena in recent times. But if this performance can be used as any kind of indicator, it could, or from Babar’s perspective, should be the start of something bigger.