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Pakistan Test batter Fawad Alam has weighed in on the ongoing debate sparked by Fakhar Zaman’s remarks, where the opener labelled rising star Saim Ayub as the “updated version” of Babar Azam.
In a recent interview, Fawad dismissed such comparisons, calling them unfair to Pakistan’s former skipper.
He stressed that Babar’s body of work, both internationally and domestically, stands in a league of its own.
“In my opinion, such statements shouldn’t be made. You can’t compare anyone with Babar Azam,” Fawad said.
“He has delivered exceptional performances in all three formats. Even before he broke into the national team, his quality was evident in domestic cricket. I’ve seen first-hand that no one in the current setup comes close to him.”
The conversation was triggered by a video shared by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), where Fakhar praised Ayub’s flair and potential.
“Someone asked me in Lahore, and I told them Saim is Babar Azam’s updated version,” Fakhar had remarked.
“He is a very different player, and I believe he has not yet revealed 80 percent of his talent to the world.”
Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson also weighed in, acknowledging that Ayub is still finding his feet but already influencing outcomes.
“Look, Saim is a key player for us. If he scores runs, Pakistan usually wins,” Hesson said.
“It’s less about the volume of contributions and more about their impact, and Saim has shown he can be a match-winner.”
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