Gautam Gambhir was asked who he thought would be the most influential player in the 2023 World Cup before it had even begun in Ahmedabad earlier this month. The former India opener did not hesitate to predict Babar Azam to win the tournament, as he has dominated the format as the top-ranked batter since the summer of 2021. Three weeks later, Gambhir abruptly changed his mind about his previous comment on Babar’s rise to the top of the ODI batting rankings, as Pakistan fell to a World Cup low on Friday after their fourth straight defeat, leaving their campaign in shambles.
After a dismal beginning to the World Cup, Babar bounced back, getting his maiden fifty against India in ODIs. He then put up a brave 74 against Afghanistan and then scored his third fifty against South Africa in Chennai on Friday. However, none were in a victorious cause. After Pakistan’s one-wicket defeat against Proteas, Gambhir, speaking to Star Sports, questioned the hoopla surrounding Babar given his dominance in the ICC rankings chart and his 19 hundreds in the 50-over format. Putting all records aside, he believed that Babar had not yet delivered the huge blow that would demonstrate his ability to win the match for Pakistan on his own.
“You want to speak about Babar’s batting and captaincy? In the previous six games, he has three fifties. I have no idea why he is the top-ranked ICC hitter. Yes, during the last two years, he has scored a lot of runs. Despite having 19 centuries to his credit, all of his records and rankings are much too high. An elite athlete is one who makes matches happen for you. Despite his high run total, he has not yet contributed a crucial hit that would have allowed the team to win the game on his alone. In this World Cup, he has hit three fifties, but Pakistan has only ever gone over 300, that being against Australia, a match they ultimately lost,” he said.
In an interview with Cricbuzz, batting icon Virender Sehwag discussed similar topics and said that the Pakistan captain seemed content with just half-century innings. Sehwag explained that a great player would constantly strive to convert their starts into huge scores.
It wasn’t a poor half-inning. He held one end as Pakistan lost two early wickets, which allowed the team to rally. Is he content with a mere 50, though? Nope. A different No. 3 hitter would want to take that 50 and turn it into a significant amount of runs. Pakistan would have ended up with more than 300 if he had taken that action. And that’s where the distinction is made. Proficient athletes seize these chances without hesitation. He said, “Babar Azam is using his form to the point that he just maintains his position on the side.
Referencing “great players,” former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez questioned Babar’s eligibility for inclusion, stating that those who have praised him “probably haven’t seen greats of the game.”
Speaking on a Pakistani TV program, he added, “It’s not like his performances are bad.” “His performances as a cricket player are fantastic, but sadly, there are unfair expectations and comparisons made with him. He is the top player today in Pakistan among the pool of very, very talented players. But given Babar’s brilliance, it’s unreasonable to compare him to the greats.
“When someone refers to him as a great Pakistani player, I question that.” Those who think such have most likely never witnessed Pakistani or international greats in the game. Indeed, he is a really talented player. Not quite excellent, however. He still has a number of things to prove, and his career has a ways to go. He isn’t even close to reaching those phases when we placed a tag on him. He is under pressure, and when he struggles in major competitions, people react negatively because their expectations are so high.
