Name: Babar Azam Tops Elite List After Achieving Major Test Captaincy Milestone
Uploaded: 2026-08-05T08:10:08+00:00
Description: Pakistan captain Babar Azam has achieved another major milestone by recording the highest batting average among the country’s Test skippers who have scored at least 1,000 runs. The right-handed batter has scored 1,883 runs in 38 innings while leading Pakistan in Test cricket, averaging 53.77 and registering four centuries.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has achieved another major milestone by recording the highest batting average among the country’s Test skippers who have scored at least 1,000 runs. The right-handed batter has scored 1,883 runs in 38 innings while leading Pakistan in Test cricket, averaging 53.77 and registering four centuries.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has achieved another major milestone by recording the highest batting average among the country’s Test skippers who have scored at least 1,000 runs.

The right-handed batter has scored 1,883 runs in 38 innings while leading Pakistan in Test cricket, averaging 53.77 and registering four centuries.

Babar sits at the top of a distinguished list featuring some of Pakistan’s most celebrated former captains. Saleem Malik is second with an average of 52.35, narrowly ahead of 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, who averaged 52.34.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq and Javed Miandad also averaged more than 50 while captaining Pakistan in the longest format.

Minimum 1,000 runs

Babar also recently became only the third cricketer to captain Pakistan in 150 international matches across all formats, joining Imran Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq.

The milestones come after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reappointed the 31-year-old as Test captain, replacing Shan Masood ahead of Pakistan’s away series against the West Indies and England.

Babar previously led Pakistan in 22 Tests between 2020 and 2023. During his first spell, Pakistan recorded 10 wins, seven defeats and four draws, giving him a win percentage of 45.45.

Babar’s captaincy career began in October 2019 when he was appointed Pakistan’s T20I captain. He took charge of the ODI side in May 2020 before becoming Test captain later that year.

His first spell as Pakistan’s all-format captain ended in November 2023 following the team’s disappointing campaign at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

The PCB brought him back as white-ball captain in March 2024, but he stepped down again in October of the same year to manage his workload and focus on his batting.

Across his two white-ball captaincy spells, Babar led Pakistan in 43 ODIs and secured 26 victories. He also became the country’s most-capped T20I captain, leading the side in 85 matches and recording 48 wins.

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