Ricky Ponting warns Australia of Babar Azam threat

by Tauqeer Abbas
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Shafaqna Pakistan:Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has hailed Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam and said that the 25-year-old has yet to show his best side.

Azam who currently ranks as T20I’s top batsman and holds third place in ODIs, has had a modest career and Test batting average of 35.28. However, Ponting is convinced that the 25-year-old right-hander has much more to bring to the table.

We haven’t seen the best of him yet, he’s a very, very classy player,” Ponting said.

“Twenty-odd Tests for an average of 35 – he’s better than that. He averages 54 in one-day cricket at a strike-rate of about 90,” he added.

“Babar is exciting talent and probably the guy I’m looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I’ve seen the Aussies a lot and I’ve seen a lot of the Kiwis, he could be anything,” the former skipper said as quoted by cricket.com.au.

Azam has already shown his class in Pakistan’s tour matches leading up to the Gabba Test, with a classy 157 against Australia A last week.

The right-hander was part of Pakistan’s touring party to Australia three years ago, but struggled at the third spot. “The key to Babar’s success was keeping him away from the new ball,” Ponting said.

“What they’ve tried with him before obviously hasn’t worked (because) when you watch him bat, he’s better than a 35 average,” he said.

“If they can massage him and help him through a little bit, keep him away from the new ball a little bit in Australia, then I think they’ll get the best out of him,” Ponting added.

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