5 exciting batsmen who could be the future

Babar Azam

Babar Azam has shown a great appetite for hundreds in his short ODI career so far

When somebody draws comparisons with Virat Kohli, you know he is doing well and that is very much the case with Pakistan’s Babar Azam. Seven ODI hundreds in just 41 matches is a testament to the ability and hunger for runs possessed by this 23-year old.

With a solid technique and great timing at his command, it's not difficult to see why some Pakistani commentators are so bullish about him. But there is still some way to go for Azam to deserve a place in the same category as the Indian captain.

While Azam has scored centuries with incredible consistency, his strike rate in most of those innings was far from what the likes of Kohli usually manage. But that is not all that bad for Pakistan as they have seen another player – Umar Akmal – with greater talent destroy his career through impulsiveness and lack of focus. His determination to stay at the wicket and get to three-figure mark is a very appreciable quality indeed.

On top of that, his performance in a recent unofficial 10-overs-a-side match where he scored a century in just 26 balls is an indication that he very much possesses the ability to dominate the bowling when needed. If he can bring that quality into his game and also achieve greater success than he has so far in Tests, the sky is the limit for Azam.