Younis Khan - The best Test batsman produced by Pakistan

A Match Winner away from home

Younis has not only contributed to test wins for Pakistan, he has done so for tests won away from home as well, which has been a task and a half for subcontinent teams in the recent past. Younis is the leading run scorer in the world in tests won away from home, and his Bradmenesque average of 90 in those tests is the third best in the world, behind only two Englishmen - Cook and Wally Hammond. Younis also has the most centuries in tests won away from home and is equal on that front with another legend, Steve Waugh.

A King of the 4th Innings

Younis' true testament to being a batsman for all conditions comes forth in the fact that he is among the only 8 batsmen in this world who average above 50 in the 4th innings of test matches, and among the only 4 batsmen in this world who have scored 4 test centuries in 4th innings of tests. It doesn't take a genius to know that such centuries can only be a match winning or match saving efforts.

A More Frequent Century Maker

It is a shame that Pakistan does not play enough test cricket for if Younis Khan played as much as Tendulkar, Kallis, Ponting, Sangakkara, and other great batsmen did he would have more runs and more centuries than all of them. Younis has been around for 15 years and in this time he has played only 98 tests. Others like Sangakkara, Cook, KP, Graeme Smith, Clarke who debuted around the same time or after Younis have gone to play well above a 100 test matches. Younis' average and the number of innings he takes to score a test 100 demonstrate that he would have scored far more runs than any of the above-mentioned batsmen (barring Sangakkara) had Pakistan played more tests than the other countries.

So for all those who talk about Tendulkar, Dravid, Ponting, Lara, Kallis, and Sangakkara as the modern day greats and mention Cook, Clarke, KP, ABD, and Amla as the current generation of great test batsmen must not forget Younis Khan who stands over and above all these batsmen. He is a test legend no less and the best this world has seen. Fortunately for all of us, he is not done yet and his fitness levels are good enough to keep him going for some more years at least.

The intangible effect that Younis Khan has had is also a feat for the great batsmen. All his captains have spoken highly of him being a true team man. While the younger generation of Pakistani batsmen have publicly praised Younis for helping the out on and off the field. Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, and Umar Akmal claim that Younis was the guiding force towards them scoring their first, and in some cases many more, test centuries.

Younis' contribution to Pakistan's test success is nothing short of phenomenal and the man will go down in history as the best test batsman ever produced by Pakistan.