Better Than Steve Smith, Virat Kohli! Pakistan Skipper Surpasses Test Legends To Achieve Massive Record

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is considered one of the best batters of the current generation across all formats. Even though his strike rate is an unending topic of debate, especially in T20Is, however, his consistency is something to be really envious of. Babar averages over 40 in each of the three formats with his best being the one-day internationals, where he averages a massive 59.17. Babar's favourite and the best format might be the ODIs, however, his Test numbers are on the rise as well and he has surpassed the likes of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith after the kind of year he had last year in the longest format.

2022 was Babar's best in Test cricket in terms of runs and average. Yes, it may be argued that Babar played 7 out of 9 Test matches at home and all of them in Asia, however, nothing can be taken away from his consistency and the ability to score runs every time he takes the field. Babar scored four hundred and 7 half-centuries in 2022 and now has an average of 69.10 in 20 innings batting at number four. Babar surpassed Kohli and Smith in this list in the same period.

Australian superstar Steve Smith is second on the list with an average of 55.40 in 30 innings in the same period including six fifties and four centuries. Former England skipper Joe Root is just behind Smith with an average of 54.20 in 34 innings. Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews is in the fourth spot with an average of 48.40 in 16 innings while Virat Kohli, the Indian batting stalwart is in the fifth place. Kohli's numbers have come down considerably in the last few years and he averages 34.65 in 27 innings in the same period.

While Smith continued his great run in the World Test Championship (WTC) final recently with his 31st Test century, Kohli failed to go big. Babar, on the other hand, will be taking part in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) playing for the Colombo Strikers. Smith has a chance to leapfrog Babar with five Ashes Tests to be played.