Babar Azam joins Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in illustrious list on Day 1 of SA vs PAK 2024 1st Test

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam was dismissed for four on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday, December 26. Sent into bat by the Proteas, the visitors were bowled out for 211 in 57.3 overs. Babar was the third wicket to fall, caught in the slip cordon as he hung his bat out at a wide delivery from Dane Paterson.

While the experienced Pakistan batter perished cheaply, he achieved a significant landmark, becoming only the third player in international cricket to score 4,000 runs in all three formats of the game. India's Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the only other batters to have achieved the illustrious feat.

Following his knock in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Centurion, Babar now has 4,001 runs in Test cricket. He is playing in his 56th Test match and has an average of 43.48, with nine hundreds and 26 fifties. The 30-year-old has 5,957 runs from 123 ODIs at an average of 56.73, with 19 tons to his name. He also has 4,223 runs in 128 T20Is, averaging 39.83 at a strike rate of 129.22.

Kohli has 9,166 runs from 121 Tests at an average of 47.49, with the aid of 30 centuries. In ODIs, he has amassed 13,906 runs in 295 matches at an average of 58.18, with a record 50 tons. The 36-year-old ended his T20I career with 4,188 runs from 125 matches at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, with one century.

As for Rohit, the Indian captain has 4,289 runs to his name from 66 Tests, averaging 41.24, with the aid of 12 hundreds. In the one-day format, he has amassed 10,866 runs from 265 matches at an average of 49.16, with 31 hundreds. Rohit ended his T20I career with 4,231 runs in 159 games at an average of 32.05 and a strike rate of 140.89, with five centuries.

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Babar Azam has not scored a Test half-century since the start of 2023

Babar has been struggling for runs in red-ball cricket over the last couple of seasons. Since the start of 2023, he has not registered a single half-century. In 18 Test innings during this period, he has managed only 356 runs at an average of 19.77, with a best of 41.

The right-handed batter scored 204 runs in nine Test innings in 2023, averaging 22.66. In nine Test innings in 2024 so far, the Pakistan cricketer has 152 runs to his name at an average of 16.88, with a best of 31.