Published 12:12 IST, August 10th 2020
Babar Azam very much resembles Sachin Tendulkar in batting style: Ian Bishop
Former West Indian cricketer Ian Bishop during an Instagram live said that Virat Kohli and Babar Azam have similar batting styles to Sachin Tendulkar.
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Despite Pakistan losing the first Test of the England vs Pakistan 2020 series, there were several positive signs for the touring side. Their bowling attack tested the England batsmen throughout the game, with some batting performances also catching the eye of fans and pundits alike. One such knock was played by Babar Azam, who was praised for his stroke-filled half-century in the first innings. Several former cricketers, such as Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain were quick to note Babar Azam's performance, with Ian Bishop going as far as to say that the Pakistan batsman reminded him of Sachin Tendulkar.
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam remind me of Sachin Tendulkar: Ian Bishop
During an Instagram live session with former Zimbabwe pacer Pommie Mbangwa, Ian Bishop talked about the similarities between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, and how the duo reminded him of Indian great Sachin Tendulkar. The former West Indian pacer pointed out that in terms of straight lines, it is Babar Azam and Virat Kohli who remind him of Sachin Tendulkar. Talking about his own experience, Ian Bishop explained that the reason why he thinks Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsmen he ever bowled to is because he always played in straight lines. While concluding, Ian Bishop said that both Babar Azam and Virat Kohli have similar batting styles to Sachin Tendulkar.
Also Read: England Vs Pakistan 2020: Michael Vaughan Trolled By Indian Fans Online For Pro-Pak Tweet
Ian Bishop (In Pommie Mbangwa Insta chat) said "Virat Kohli and Babar Azam reminds me of Sachin Tendulkar because of playing in straight lines and that I why I think Sachin is the best batsman i have bowled during my career".
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 9, 2020
While the comparisons between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam aren’t anything new, this is the first time the Pakistani batsman’s style has been compared with Sachin Tendulkar. The 25-year-old has been compared multiple times with Virat Kohli in the past, with both fans and experts weighing in on the debate. Ahead of the England vs Pakistan 2020 series, Babar Azam mentioned that he would prefer to be compared with great Pakistan players, rather than the Indian captain.
England vs Pakistan 2020 series: Pundits praise Babar Azam’s batting
Babar Azam 😍 What a player in the making!!! Great insight & analysis by Nasser Hussain pic.twitter.com/61DFMzJP27
— Haroon Gillani (@hrngillani) August 5, 2020
Babar Azam’s first innings performance drew applause from all sections of the cricketing fraternity. Michael Vaughan recently claimed that the cricketer has shifted Joe Root out of the ‘Fab 4’ group, owing to his consistency. Former England captain Nasser Hussain echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that the player’s performances go under the radar because he is not Virat Kohli.
Babar Azam career stats
Several pundits refer to the player’s stats to make the argument about his consistency and batting skill. Babar Azam is the No.1 ranked batsman in T20 cricket and has a good record in both ODIs and Test cricket. Babar Azam averages above 50 in both T20Is and ODIs, while his Test batting average is around 44, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Image Courtesy: icc-cricket.com, instagram/therealpcb
12:12 IST, August 10th 2020