No one is talking about Babar Azam because he's not Virat Kohli: Nasser Hussain

Pakistan’s limited-overs skipper Babar Azam is on his way to becoming a legendary batsman. The prolific batsman has exemplary records in all the three formats of the sport. In his short yet impressive international cricket career, Babar has managed to score 3,359 ODI runs and 1,471 T20 runs in just 74 and 38 games respectively.

Talking about his red-ball journey, Babar has scored runs in the traditional format at an impressive average of over 45. He, at present, is undoubtedly one of the best batsmen of the modern era. Babar was anticipated to do wonders in Pakistan’s tour of England and that’s what he did on Day 1 of the first Test at Manchester.

Babar Azam has got all the swagger: Nasser Hussain

The right-hander exhibited his class and struck a flawless 100-ball 69 on the first day of Manchester Test. Babar, who is now just 41 runs from his 6th Test hundred, will be eying to deliver with the bat on the second day too. Meanwhile, there has been much debate about Babar’s inclusion in the ‘Fab 5’ batsmen in international cricket. Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has backed Babar’s inclusion in the elite list while lauding his performance in the first Test.

Hussain said Babar Azam don’t get the name and fame he deserves because he is not India captain Virat Kohli. According to him, the world keeps going on and on about the ‘Fab 4’ but it’s now the time to add Babar and call it ‘Fab 5’.

“If this lad was Virat Kohli, everyone would be talking about it but because it is Babar Azam, no one is talking about it. He’s young, he’s elegant, he’s got all the swagger.

They keep going on about the ‘Fab Four (Kohli, Australia’s Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and England captain Joe Root) — it’s the ‘Fab Five’ and Babar Azam is in that,” said former England captain Nasser Hussain while commentating for Sky Sports.

Ahead of the start of much-awaited series against the English side, Pakistan’s Test skipper Azhar Ali also had backed Babar to deliver impressive performances with his willow. Ali had said that Babar in the same league of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith.

“I think he is right up there already. People are thinking and talking about it. He is just hungry for runs and I think if he keeps doing that he will be up there for quite a long time.

“His performances have improved massively in Test matches over the last year or so. Firstly, he was performing really well in white-ball cricket and people thought he was only a white-ball player but he took on that challenge and played with a lot of freedom and flair,” Azhar Ali had said.