Ricky Ponting, a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame, thinks that Pakistan captain and standout hitter Babar Azam, who won two ICC Awards for his work in 2022, is still developing and is yet to come at his peak. In the 2022 ICC Awards, Babar won both the Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year and the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for men’s cricket, besting strong competition in both categories.
Ponting joined the chorus of admirers when he praised Babar on The ICC Review, pointing to the Pakistan captain’s textbook foundation and his capacity to adapt to various circumstances as factors that contributed to his success. As stated by the ICC, Ponting added, “Technically, he is really good.
He excels at both fast and spin bowling, and he can adjust to various environmental conditions wherever in the world, which is what sets great bowlers apart from average ones.”I have seen him first-hand be able to be dominant in different settings (than the ones) you are brought up in.”
Babar Azam took out both the major ICC men’s cricket awards 🔥
Read More: https://t.co/pCom9rXuof#ICCAwards pic.twitter.com/U8OrMZ4SB2
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) January 27, 2023
The best athletes are also highly mentally tough. You simply need to consider when he plays, how long he bats for in Test matches, how he manages the innings in one-day matches, and how he can sort of shift between gears as a batter depending on the situation, according to Ponting.
The figures from Babar read quite well in all three international formats. Babar Azam scored 1,184 Test runs in 2022, 679 ODI runs at an average of 85, and he guided his team to the T20 World Cup semifinal in Australia by scoring 735 T20I runs at an average of 123 throughout the course of the year.
These numbers would likely be the top for many people, but Ponting believes there is still more to come. “He probably isn’t (at his peak). Most hitters reach their peak in their early to mid-thirties, “he stated.
