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As Pakistan takes on England in the first Test at Multan, all eyes will be on star batters Babar Azam and Joe Root, who are chasing milestones, but are battling a contrasting run in Test cricket.
In Multan, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first in the first Test of the three-match series. In 54 Tests, Babar has made 3,982 runs at an average of 44.51, with nine tons and 26 fifties. He needs just 18 runs to get to 4,000 Test runs. He is the 12th-highest run-getter for Pakistan in Tests. In international cricket, Babar needs just 164 runs to become the fifth player to get to 14,000 international runs. In 295 matches, he has scored 13,836 runs at an average of 47.54, with 31 centuries and 94 fifties. He is the fifth-highest run-scorer in international cricket. However, recent times have not been too kind to Babar. In his last eight Tests, Babar's performances have been sub-par, scoring 266 runs at an average of 20.46 with no fifty to his name in 13 innings, all coming during the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. His best score is 41. On the other hand, the English star is in the form of his life. In 17 Tests during the current WTC cycle, he has made 1,398 runs at an average of 53.76, with five centuries and six fifties to his name. His best score is 143. Root currently has scored 19,817 runs at an average of 48.69, with 50 international centuries and 108 fifties. He needs just 183 runs to become the first England player to reach 20,000 international runs. He is the top run-scorer for England. Coming to Tests, Root has made 12,402 runs at an average of 50.62, with 34 fifties and 64 fifties. Root is just 71 runs away from surpassing Alastair Cook's total of 12,472 runs and becoming England's leading run-scorer in Tests. He will also become the 5th highest run-getter in Tests by passing Cook's tally. England is at the fourth place in ICC World Test Championship standings with eight wins, seven losses and a draw after series wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Pakistan are eighth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 standings after their series loss to Bangladesh at home. Teams: Pakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood(c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Aamer Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope(c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir. (ANI)
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