Would Babar Azam have been the greatest if he played for India?

Babar Azam is one of the finest batters to have played for Pakistan. He is also among the best batters in modern cricket, despite being in a recent lean patch.

The right-handed batter has played 61 Tests so far, scoring 4366 runs at an average of 42.39. In ODIs, he averages 53.04, having amassed 6365 runs. Meanwhile, he has an average of 39.83 in 131 T20Is, having aggregated 4302 runs.

He climbed to the top of the rankings for batters in ODIs and T20Is in the past. In Tests, he has a career-high ranking of No. 2. Currently, he ranks 22, 7, and 30 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, respectively.

Would Babar Azam have become the greatest cricketer if he had played for India?

It goes without saying that Babar has been the best batter in the Pakistan team for quite some time. No batter has come close to his consistency and ability to switch seamlessly from one format to another.

However, would he have become the greatest cricketer if he had played for India? Well, in all honesty, Babar would have struggled to be the best cricketer among his contemporaries in the Indian team. He would have had to compete with the likes of stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, among others. Kohli has a better average than Babar in all three formats.

However, his own game could have improved substantially had he played for India, as he would have had the opportunity of facing top international bowlers during the Indian Premier League. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offers a more stable system with advanced analytics, coaching, and fitness infrastructure, something that would have benefited him immensely.

The Lahore-born would have had to fight harder for a spot in the Indian team earlier in his career, as the competition was higher. Playing for India would have helped him bag more ICC trophies and records thanks to more frequent high-profile matches.

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If Babar had played for India, he might well have become one of the greatest cricketers of all time - perhaps statistically and commercially on par with Kohli. Yet, Babar's exemplary records while playing in the challenging Pakistan system make him even more special as a cricketer.