Ramiz Raja: “To me he seems a number three batsman”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja believes that the national team made a huge error in making batsman Babar Azam come in at number six.

Azam was easily Pakistan’s second-best batsman during the recently concluded three-Test series against South Africa, as he accumulated 221 runs, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 36.83.

Instead of coming in at number six, Ramiz feels Azam should have occupied the number three spot on the batting line-up.

“He is a future (Test) star. The way he bats releases pressure. To me he seems a number three batsman,” he was quoted as saying by the Business Recorder. “But I’m surprised as to why he has not been pushed to this [position].

“When he comes in to bat, he does half of the batting with the batsmen and half with the tailenders. Batting with the tail is a different sort of pressure. This tour was to make Babar Azam (a star), but unfortunately Pakistan missed that chance.”