Babar Azam responds to Dinesh Karthik’s call, wants to achieve THIS big feat

Babar Azam was speaking ahead of the rescheduled Pakistan and West Indies ODI series to be played on 8, 10 and 12 June. The three ODIs were postponed last December due to a COVID-19 outbreak. 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has declared his intention to become the world No.1 batter in all three formats of the game and match Indian wicketkeeper-batting stalwart Dinesh Karthik’s call that the 27-year-old captain from across the border can make history. Karthik feels Azam has it in him to become the world No. 1 batter in all three formats, which will be a unique first in the annals of the game. Azam already has the top ICC billing in both white-ball formats, but is ranked fifth in the longest format behind the likes of Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and prolific England run-getter Joe Root.

But Karthik, who was recently included in India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against South Africa, is quite confident that the Pakistan captain will soon be topping the ICC Test batting charts as well. Azam said it will be a ‘dream come true’ to become the No.1-ranked batter in all three formats.

“As a player it’s a dream to become the No. 1 in all formats and, for that, you have to focus and put in hard work. It’s not like if you are the top player in one or two formats, you go easy,” Azam was quoted as saying by the ICC on Friday (June 3).

“If you are to become No.1 in all three, you have to keep yourself fit and on track. There is back-to-back cricket and the gap is less. For that, you need to be extra fit. It’s something I am preparing for. It’s going well in white-ball and hopefully, I will be able to do well in Tests too,” added Azam.

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