Mickey Arthur on Babar Azam: “Jacques Kallis’ average was deflated initially but he was persisted with because he was so good and ended with an average over 50. Babar will do the same”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has compared batsman Babar Azam to legendary South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
Arthur noted that Kallis’ “average was deflated initially” in his Test career, but he went on to become one of the most successful batsmen in the longest format.
The 51-year-old feels that Azam is walking the same road as Kallis.
In the recent two-Test series against Australia, Azam was Pakistan’s highest run-scorer as he amassed 210 runs, which included a century and a fifty, at an average of 52.50.
Mickey Arthur "Jacques Kallis average was deflated initially but he was persisted with because he was so good & ended with an average over 50. Babar will do the same, he just started from a low base as he didn't start off too well but he'll go from strength to strength" #cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) December 2, 2019
“Jacques Kallis’ average was deflated initially but he was persisted with because he was so good and ended with an average over 50. Babar will do the same, he just started from a low base as he didn’t start off too well but he’ll go from strength to strength,” Arthur was quoted as saying by Saj Sadiq on Twitter.
Kallis is the third-highest run-scorer in Test history with 13,289 runs, which includes 45 centuries and 58 fifties, at an average of 55.37.
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