RICKY PONTING LATEST STATEMENT ABOUT KING BABAR AZAM:

RICKY PONTING LATEST STATEMENT ABOUT KING BABAR AZAM:

Babar Azam, who won two ICC Awards for his work in 2022, is still at the top of his game, according to CC Hall of Fame Ricky Ponting.

In the 2022 ICC Awards, Babar won both the Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year and the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for men's cricket, besting strong competition in both categories.

Every recipient of an ICC Award for 2022.

Ponting joined the chorus of admirers when he praised Babar on The ICC Review, pointing to the Pakistan captain's textbook foundation and his capacity to adapt to various circumstances as factors that contributed to his success.

Ponting stated, "Technically, he's really good.

He bowls fast bowling and spin bowling quite well, and he has been able to The ability to adjust to various environmental factors around the world is what sets great players apart from average ones.

"I've seen him first-hand be able to be dominating in different circumstances (than the ones) you're brought up in.

"The best athletes have excellent mental fortitude. You simply need to consider when he plays, how long he bats for in Test matches, how he manages the innings in one-day games, and how he can sort of shift between gears as a batter depending on the situation.

Babar is mentioned in the all-time greats conversation by Ricky Ponting | ICC Review

Babar's statistics are a superb reading in all three of the foreign forms. Babar led his team to the T20 World Cup semifinal in Australia in 2022 while accumulating 735 runs at a strike rate of 123 in T20I play during the year. He also scored 1,184 Test runs at a little under 70, 679 ODI runs at 85, and 679 runs at 85 in ODI cricket.

Many would consider those numbers to be the ceiling, but Ponting believes there is still more to come.

He most likely isn't (at his peak). According to him, most batters reach their peak at the beginning of their thirties.

"Up to a certain point, you sort of work on your game and make it better. For the majority of guys, that's it. Have a look at where Steve Smith, (David) Warner, and those other people are. possess been. Together with players like Kane Williamson who are in their early thirties, Steve Smith is likely playing as well as he has ever played right now.

Hence, I believe Babar still has some room for progress, which is a frightening concept given what he has accomplished over the last three to four years in almost all three formats. I enjoy observing him play. I believe there is room for improvement; let's hope it happens.

Bags by Babar Azam ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year 2022: Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy

Babar's track record is all the more impressive because he managed to cash in while serving as captain.Pakistan won eight out of nine ODI matches last year, compiling a record of 14 victories in 26 games from 2016 to 2022, in addition to his impressive run total.

Ponting believes there are leadership wrinkles to be ironed out even though Pakistan, under his guidance, advanced to the semi-finals of the second straight T20 World Cup. Yet, Ponting predicts that Babar would gain wisdom from every circumstance he encounters.

"I must admit that during the T20 World Cup, he appeared to become a little frazzled at times, especially during the game against India when the score was really close towards the finish. Shadab Khan in particular could be seen approaching him and attempting to calm him down and simply make him play nice.Think more clearly, Ponting said.

"But, that's a T20 game. Being the captain of a T20 team is never an easy task, particularly during a World Cup and in a crucial situation like that one where things were becoming pretty tight.

"I'm confident he'll find the perfect approach to lead and be a very successful captain of Pakistan," the commentator said. "With a little more experience under his belt, like he's done with his batting."

The ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2022 is Babar Azam.

How far can Babar advance in relation to the greats of Pakistan? Ponting thinks there is no barrier preventing him from being ranked at the pinnacle, even in a pantheon of such masters.

"He's on a trajectory right now to possibly become the all-time best player. I am aware that players like Younis Khan, Inzamam ul-Haq, and others have more runs than him.

"By the time he's through, I'm sure his numbers will stack up alongside the finest Pakistan has produced, which will be terrific for him as well as all the cricket fans across the world who like seeing him play," said one cricket fan.

The Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year 2022 is accepted by Babar Azam.