Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has raised doubts over Pakistan star batter Babar Azam and his status as the country’s best batter heading into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Babar, who has been Pakistan’s mainstay at the number three position, was promoted to open the innings with Fakhar Zaman in the recently concluded tri-nation ODI series.
However, his performance in this new role has been disappointing, as he returned with scores of 10, 23, and 29, sparking discussions about the decision to move him to the opening spot.
Harbhajan Singh, in a video on his YouTube channel, criticised Pakistan’s batting line-up, highlighting their recent forms. He took a dig at Babar while mentioning his below-par average against India.
“Their star batter is Babar Azam. His average against India is 31. If you are a top batter, I believe you should have an average close to 50, which he doesn’t have,” he stated.
The former Indian spinner lavished praise on Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, noting his remarkable positivity and free-spirited style of play.
However, he pointed out Rizwan’s struggle against India, revealing that his average dips to 25 in encounters with the arch-rivals.
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“Then, there is Rizwan. I like him as a player. He is a man with a positive attitude and plays freely. But his average against India is 25,” he added.
He then turned his attention to Fakhar Zaman, the sole full-time opener for Pakistan, emphasizing his formidable batting prowess.
“Fakhar Zaman, their only full-time opener, has an average of 46. It’s a good average. Fakhar can take the game away from India,” the former spinner said.
Harbhajan Singh then assessed the rest of Pakistan’s batting lineup, highlighting their averages against India, suggesting that, despite some talent, none of them appeared to pose a significant threat.
“Right now, if we look at Faheem Ashraf, his average is 12.5. I don’t think he can pose a threat to the opposing team,” he further added.
“And Saud Shakeel’s average against India is 6. So, with such averages, when I look at the batting lineup, I don’t have the confidence that this team will win.”
READ: Champions Trophy: Harbhajan Singh issues bold statement about Pakistan-India clash