India's veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik made a huge statement on the Babar Azam as he had said the Pakistan skipper can become no.1 batter across all formats. Now Babar has reacted on Karthik's tall remark and said that as a player it's a dream to become the no.1 in all formats.
Karthik was effusive in Babar's praise when he had said, "One-hundred per cent (Babar is capable of achieving that)," Karthik said on The ICC Review. "He is a high-quality player who is at the peak of his batting prowess and he has got some Test matches coming up. He has been phenomenal in all three formats of the game and he has done well in different batting positions too. I wish him all the best and think he has the potential. He has got all the following of Pakistan helping him in abundance to go on and do special things for his country."
Babar has reacted to Karthik's comment and highlighted the factors that goes into becoming no.1.
When a reporter asked Babar, "Cricketers world-wide are in awe of your batting, and Dinesh Karthik has even said that you can become No. 1. Do you think you can get there, and if yes, what are you doing to achieve it?"
In response, Babar, during a press conference, said: "Definitely, as a player it's a dream to become the No. 1 in all formats and for that, you have to focus and put in hard work. It's not like if you are the top player in 1 or 2 formats, you go easy. If you are to become No.1 in all three, you have to keep yourself fit and on track. There is back-to-back cricket and the gap is less. For that, you need to be extra fit. It's something I am preparing for. It's going well in white-ball and hopefully, I will be able to do well in Tests too."
Earlier Karthik had also said, "It is a very strong ‘Fab Four’ that we are talking about and they have obviously been there for much longer, but there is no doubt that Babar has all the credentials and he is going to make it a 'Fab Five."
The high-profile batter Babar is currently claiming the no.1 spot in ODIs and T20Is with 891 and 818 points respectively, followed by Virat Kohli at No. 2 (ODIs).
However in the longest format of the game, Babar is placed fifth behind Australia's Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, New Zealand's skipper Kane Williamson and former England captain Joe Root.
