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'Prove To The World, You Are Viv Richards ' - Ramiz Raja Compares Babar Azam With WI Legend

Abhinav Tyagi

Babar Azam and Ramiz Raja - (Source: @Johns/X.com)Babar Azam and Ramiz Raja - (Source: @Johns/X.com)

On Sunday, October 27, the PCB announced Pakistan's squad for the upcoming T20Is and ODIs against Australia and Zimbabwe. Former skipper Babar Azam, who was dropped from the recently concluded England series, makes a return and will feature against the Aussies. 

Talking about Babar, he is under the scanner for his underwhelming performance and has already been shown the door in Test cricket. Nonetheless, ex-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja has backed the right-hand batter to return to form in red-ball cricket and also compared Azam with legendary West Indies batter Viv Richards.

Ramiz Raja Compares Babar With Viv Richards

Raza stated that Babar needs to show the world with his temperaments that he is Viv Richards. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he Said: 

"I feel Babar has to achieve a lot more in Test cricket. He plays the white-ball format well and has an average of 50-plus in both formats (T20I and ODI). There is so much potential in Babar Azam. Now he has to prove to the world with his temperament that he is Viv Richards. Bigger the contest, bigger the innings Richards used to play."

"I am just hoping that he (Babar) rediscovers himself after returning from the rest because important series are coming up," he added.

Babar Azam's Struggles In 2024

In this calendar year, Babar has played just four Test matches and amassed 148 runs in eight innings. He averages just 18.50, his worst since making his international debut. 

Overall, Azam has scored just 808 runs in 23 matches across formats and averages just 32. He has not scored a solitary century and has six fifty-plus scores. The Champions Trophy 2025 is just four months away and Babar needs to silence his critics by performing in the upcoming tour against Australia. It is worth noting that Azam has been rested for the Zimbabwe tour.