Published 17:21 IST, May 6th 2020
Ex-SRH coach finds Babar Azam more attractive to watch than Virat Kohli
SRM ex-coach Tom Moody during recent podcast said that while people talk about how Virat Kohli being so good as batsman, Babar Azam is a special talent.
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Former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) coach Tom Moody has heaped praise on Pakistan batsman Babar Azam and said that the top-order batsman is a special talent and is also a pleasure to watch while batting. The ex-SRH coach during a podcast said that Babar Azam will be counted in the top five Test batsmen over the next decade.
Tom Moody compares Virat Kohli and Babar Azam
Tom Moody, while speaking on The Pitch Side Experts Podcast alongside former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop and cricket analyst Freddie Wilde, said that Babar Azam's emergence as a player over the last year or so is something special. He said that while people talk about how good Virat Kohli is as a batsman, watching Babar Azam bat is a greater pleasure.
The former SRH coach further said that in the next five to ten years, Babar Azam will definitely be counted in top five batsmen of the decade without a question. Azam is currently on the 5th position in ICC Test batting rankings, below Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Marnus Labuschagne and Kane Williamson.
Talking about Babar Azam's stats, Moody said that even though Azam has played 26 matches, in half of those, he was not considered a part of Pakistan's top order. Azam is only averaging 37 away from home, while his average at home is 67. Moody commented that a lot of his away games were during the early part of his career, while he has only recently played at home.
Tom Moody and his stint with SRH
Before the lockdown, IPL side SRH replaced Tom Moody with Trevor Bayliss, who coached England to World Cup glory last year. Bayliss has already won IPL trophies with KKR and has also won the Big Bash League and Champions League with Sydney Sixers. Moody, during his time with SRH, helped the side to 2016 IPL glory and in 5 playoff appearances over the past 7 years.
(IMAGE: TOM MOODY/ BABAR AZAM / VIRAT KOHLI/ INSTAGRAM)
17:21 IST, May 6th 2020