Pakistan captain Babar Azam feels proud to be compared with modern-day greats like Virat Kohli, but his real dream is to reach a stage when other batsmen are compared to him in the future.
The 26-year-old is among the top batsmen across the formats at the moment and is confident to do a great job with the bat for Pakistan in the upcoming bilateral series in New Zealand having scores runs on tough overseas tours like Australia, England, and South Africa.
Babar said in an interview to a YouTube channel: “I feel proud to be compared to these top batsmen and to be ranked in the top five of the world. But my dream is that one day I also reach a stage where other batsmen are compared to me and not me being compared to others.”
He further added, “I know that I also have to perform like them in every condition and compete with them. I also want to perform like them and win matches for the team like they do.”
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The star batsman said scoring runs on overseas tours give immense confidence while stressing get adjusts to the conditions will always be a key to get success on foreign soil.
He further added, “When you get runs in places like Australia, England, South Africa it gives you satisfaction and people sit up and take notice of you. New Zealand will be a tough series but I have psyched myself to continue my runs in the two tests and three T20 matches.
In England, we did well and gave them a tough time so I am optimistic we can do well. Conditions in New Zealand are different and we have to adjust to those conditions. Good, we are going there early so that it gives us more time to get used to their conditions.”
On getting the Test captaincy, Babar said: “It is always nice to hear the other greats talk highly about you but it also makes me realize that I have more of a responsibility to do well and prove them right. The board had indicated to me they were considering me Test captain when they made me white-ball captain last year. They have told me to play fearlessly and not worry about losing matches. They will support me. They have told me I am there as a captain for a long time.”
He signed off by saying, “In cricket, the learning process is never over. I like to study my batting whether I do well or fail. I spend hours watching videos of my batting and even others. It is a good learning exercise.”
(With PTI Inputs)
