Mohammad Yousuf: “Inzy bhai and Saeed bhai’s level can’t be matched. They can’t be matched. They were very big players. Zaheer Abbas…. These four players were of different categories and levels. Babar is nothing in front of them”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Mohammad Yousuf said Pakistan top order batsman Babar Azam “is nothing in front of” the legendary quartet of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Zaheer Abbas and Younis Khan.
He noted that all four of them are in a different league when compared to Azam, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest batsmen Pakistan has produced in recent memory.
While Azam has gone on to break multiple records and win Pakistan numerous matches across all three formats, Yousuf believes the 31-year-old is still nowhere close to matching the standards set by the former greats.
“Inzy bhai and Saeed bhai’s level can’t be matched. They can’t be matched. They were very big players. Zaheer Abbas…. These four players were of different categories and levels. Babar is nothing in front of them,” he said on the How Does It Work? podcast as quoted by NDTV.
Azam recently featured in Pakistan’s two-Test series against Bangladesh and made 115 runs in one match, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 57.50.
The Lahore-born batsman also did well in the three-match ODI series against Australia, racking up 125 runs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 41.66.
Now that he is back as Pakistan’s Test captain, Azam will lead the side in their two-Test series against the West Indies, which will take place in Trinidad and Tobago from July 25 to August 6.
The men in green will then head to England to play three Tests from August 19 to September 13.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
Pakistan Squad for England Test series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah