Babar Azam hasn’t hit triple figures in Test cricket in more than two years.
On Boxing Day, the side will play South Africa in the first Test in a two-match series, which will mark the return of former Pakistan captain Babar Azam to the Test arena. After two consecutive low-scoring Test matches against England at home, Babar was removed from the squad. In all formats, Babar hasn’t reached a century since August of last year. He participated in 43 innings in various forms at that time. However, when the Boxing Day Test in Centurion begins, Babar will be aiming for a significant accomplishment.
Babar is only three runs away from reaching the 4,000-run mark in Test cricket, which would make him the first batsman from Pakistan to reach four thousand Test runs, five thousand ODI runs, and two thousand T20I runs. To date, Babar has amassed 3,997 runs at an average of 54.46 in 55 Test matches, including nine hundreds. The last time he reached triple figures in Test cricket was in December 2022, when he knocked in 161 runs against New Zealand in Karachi. In fact, he only managed to score 366 runs in 18 innings without even reaching a half-century.
Babar, however, has been recalled for the 1st Test against South Africa. He will continue to bat at no. 3 with opener Abdullah Shafique dismissed from the team.
Kamran Ghulam, who earlier this year made a century in his maiden match against England, will bat at number four in the Centurion series opener.
Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood and young batsman Saim Ayub will open the batting. Mohammed Abbas, a pacer, is also scheduled to return to Pakistan. He last wore the whites in a Kingston match against the West Indies in August 2021.
Pakistan’s XI vs South Africa, 1st Test:
Shan Masood, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas
