Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said, “it’s a dream” to become the No.1 ranked batter in all three formats and prove India player Dinesh Karthik’s call right that he can create history. Karthik feels that Babar Azam has it in him to become the world’s No. 1 batter in every format as well. Babar is currently the No.1 batter in the ICC ODI and T20I rankings, while he is a career-high No.5 in the longer format behind Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root.
But Karthik, who was recently added to 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 also. “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.
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“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,” further added Babar Azam.
However, Babar Azam was speaking before the rescheduled Pakistan and West Indies ODI series which will be played on 8, 10 and 12 June. The three ODIs were postponed last December due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the West Indies camp after their T20I series as well. Pakistan registered a 3-0 clean sweep in those T20Is and continued their strong white-ball form with a 2-1 ODI series win against Australia at home as well.
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“As a team, as a captain, you go into the series thinking about a clean sweep, whoever the opponent is. We went with the same thought against Australia, to play tough cricket and dominate. The intent is the same against West Indies, but it’s not like we are underestimating them. They also have the capacity to give you a tough time as, on the day, they are a dangerous team. You can’t take them easy,” Babar Azam concluded.
