"I Love Watching Him Play" - Ricky Ponting Lauds Double ICC Awards Winner Babar Azam

Babar Azam, who won two ICC Awards for his work in 2022, will be at the top of his game, according to ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting.

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 the strong competition in both categories.

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Room For Improvement For Babar Azam: Ricky Ponting

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.

“Technically, he’s very good,” said Ponting.

“He plays spin bowling very well, he plays fast bowling really well, and he’s been able to adapt to different conditions across the world – which is what separates the great players from the good players. To be able to be dominant in different conditions (to the ones) you’re brought up in, I’ve seen him first-hand be able to do that.

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“The great players are also very strong mentally. You’ve only got to look at when he plays, how long he bats for in Test matches, how he controls the innings in one-day games, how he’s sort of got the ability to go up and down the gears as a batsman when the game and the situation needs him to.”

The figures from Babar read quite well in all three international formats. Babar led his team to the T20 World Cup semifinal in Australia in 2022 while accumulating 735 runs at a strike rate of 123 in T20I play during the year. He also scored 1,184 Test runs at a little under 70, 679 ODI runs at 85, and 679 runs at 85 in ODI cricket.

Many would consider such numbers to be the ceiling, but Ponting believes there is still more to come.

“He’s probably not (at his peak). Most batters come into their prime in the start of their early thirties,” he said.

“You’re sort of working on your game and improving your game right through to a certain point. And that for most guys is it. You look at where Steve Smith and (David) Warner and those guys have been. Steve Smith is probably playing as well as he’s ever played now, along with guys like Kane Williamson as well in their early thirties.

“So I think Babar’s still got a little bit of improvement to come, which is a pretty scary thought with what he’s been able to do, pretty much across all three formats over the last three, four years. I love watching him play. I think there’s some room for improvement, let’s hope we see it.”

With Bit More Experience, Babar Azam Will Find The Right Way To Lead Pakistan: Ricky Ponting

Babar Azam’s track record is all the more impressive because he managed to cash in while serving as captain. Pakistan won eight out of nine ODI matches last year, compiling a record of 14 victories in 26 games from 2016 to 2022, in addition to his impressive run total.

Ponting believes there are leadership wrinkles to be ironed out even though Pakistan, under his guidance, advanced to the semi-finals of the second straight T20 World Cup. Nevertheless, Ponting predicts that Babar would gain wisdom from every circumstance he encounters.

“I must admit he looked like he got a little bit flustered at times at the T20 World Cup, certainly the game against India when things got really tight at the end. You could see a few of the senior players, Shadab Khan in particular, going over to him and trying to settle him down and just make him think a little bit clearer,” Ponting said.

“But that’s the T20 game. Being a captain of the T20 team is never an easy thing to do, especially in a World Cup, and especially in a moment that was as big as that one was when things were getting really tight.”

“I’m sure with a bit more experience under his belt, like he’s done with his batting, I’m sure he’ll find the right way to lead and be a very successful captain of Pakistan.”

How far can Babar Azam advance in relation to the greats of Pakistan? Ponting thinks there is no reason he shouldn’t be ranked extremely high, even among such greats.

“He’s on the upward curve now to maybe go down as the all-time greatest. I know there’s Inzamam (ul-Haq) and Younis Khan and those sorts of guys who’ve got more runs than him. 

“By the time he’s finished, his numbers I’m sure will stack up along with the very best Pakistan has produced, which will be great for him, but also all the cricket fans around the world who enjoy watching him play.”

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