On the international circuit there are a few batsmen who are dominating world cricket with their consistent performances in all formats of the game. Indian captain Virat Kohli, Australia's Steven Smith, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and Pakistan's Babar Azam are among them. Babar is the youngest player among them.

The 27-year-old Babar has an excellent record in all formats of the game. In Test matches, he has scored 2851 runs in 71 innings of 40 Tests, averaging 46 with six hundreds and 21 fifties. In Test cricket, he is on the fifth position while Indian skipper Virat Kohli stands on 10th position.

Babar has an impressive ODI average of 59.20. In 86 ODIs, he has scored 4,261 runs with 16 hundred and 18 half-centuries. In the ICC ranking of ODI players, Babar is on top with 891 points. Kohli is behind him with 811 points.

Babar is also on top of the Twenty20 format with 818 points. He has played 74 T20 Internationals, and scored 2,686 runs, averaging 45.52, hitting one hundred and 26 fifties.

The recently concluded Pak-Australia series belonged to Babar as he proved his skills in all three formats by scoring 390 runs in the Tests series, averaging 78 with one century and two fifties; 276 runs in the ODI series at an average of 138 with two hundred and one half century; and 66 in the only T20I.

In February 2020, former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said that Babar was one of the most exciting young talents he had seen in a long time.

In the 2019 ODI home series against Sri Lanka, Babar became the fastest batsman to make 1,000 runs in a calendar year in ODIs for Pakistan. He took just 19 innings to reach the landmark, two less than Javed Miandad, who scored 1,000 runs in 21 innings in 1987. During this period, he scored two centuries and seven half centuries. He was the only batsman to reach the 1,000-run mark in 2019.

In January 2017, Babar was also the joint-fastest player in history to score 1,000 runs in ODIs. He reached the landmark in just 21 innings, joining West Indies great Viv Richards, England's Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott, and South Africa's Quinton de Kock.

In the World Cup 2019, too, Babar's performance was remarkable. He surpassed Miandad's record of 437 runs in a single World Cup (1992). Despite Pakistan's early exit, Babar finished with 474 runs. He hit a century against New Zealand and three 50s.

Babar's consistent performance at under-19 level forced selectors to give him a chance to play for the national side. He was named in the squad for the Zimbabwe series at home. He availed himself of the opportunity immediately and scored 54 off 60 balls in his debut match at Lahore on May 31, 2015.

With the hundred in the second ODI, Babar became the first Pakistan captain to score an ODI century against Australia. Before him Imran Khan's 82 was the best captain's knock from Pakistan -- at Brisbane in 1990.

For his outstanding performance against Australia, Babar was elected as "Player of the Month" for March 2022. He beat West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Australian skipper Pat Cummins in the contest. He is the first player to have won the ICC Men's Player of the Month award on two occasions. He previously did it in April 2021.

Babar's 105 not out in the third ODI against Australia was his 16th ODI hundred -- second most by a Pakistani batsman in ODIs. He surpassed Mohammad Yousuf who had scored 15 ODI centuries. Former opener Saeed Anwar is on top with 20 centuries.

Babar has scored six centuries in ODIs while chasing, the second most for Pakistan-- behind Saeed Anwar's 10 hundreds. Babar's five ODI hundreds as captain came in just 12 innings.

Babar is also the fastest to score 16 ODI centuries. He achieved this feat in 84 innings, leaving behind former South African batsman Hashim Amla who had reached his 16th ODI hundred in his 94th innings.

Babar also has the best century percentage among all the batsmen who have batted in at least 30 innings. With 16 centuries in 84 innings, Babar's percentage of centuries is 19.04%, Imam ul Haq is behind him with 18.36%. Imam has nine centuries in 49 innings.

Babar was included in the Pakistan under-19 team for the 2010 World Cup when he was just 15. In the 2012 under-19 World Cup he led the Green-shirts. Babar was the highest run-getter for Pakistan.

He had been the leading run-scorer in the tri-series, involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Under-19s, in 2009.

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