Babar Azam Dominates: Pakistan Star Becomes First to 9,000 Runs This Decade
The Rise of a Modern Master
In the evolving landscape of international cricket, few players have demonstrated the consistency and appetite for runs quite like Pakistan’s Babar Azam. Returning to the side for the series-deciding second Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet after a brief injury layoff, Babar reminded the cricketing world exactly why he is held in such high regard. His gritty 68-run knock off 84 balls served as the anchor for the Pakistani innings, helping the team stabilize after an early collapse and keeping them competitive in a high-stakes encounter.
The 9,000-Run Landmark
Beyond the immediate context of the Test match, this performance carried significant weight for Babar’s career statistics. With this knock, the 31-year-old officially surpassed the 9,000-run threshold in international cricket for the current decade. Since January 2020, Babar has been a constant presence across all formats, accumulating an impressive 9,060 runs in 231 innings across 212 matches. His average of 42.53 reflects not just his talent, but the sheer volume of cricket he has navigated during this period.
Perhaps more impressively, Babar has notched up 17 international centuries since 2020, placing him third on the list of top century-makers this decade, trailing only Joe Root and Shubman Gill. This consistency has solidified his position as the leading run-scorer in international cricket during this timeframe.
The Changing of the Guard: Kohli vs. Azam
For over a decade, Indian legend Virat Kohli was the undisputed king of run-scoring. Between 2010 and 2020, Kohli redefined the standards of excellence by amassing 20,960 runs at an astonishing average of 57.58, accompanied by 69 centuries. However, the current decade has seen a shift in momentum.
In the rankings for the highest international run-scorers since January 2020, Kohli currently finds himself in the sixth position with 6,873 runs from 198 innings. It is important to note that Kohli’s workload has shifted as he retired from T20Is in 2024 and eventually stepped away from the Test arena, impacting his ability to challenge for the top spot. While his legacy as a titan of the game remains untouched, the current decade has undeniably belonged to Babar Azam in terms of sheer output and availability across formats.
A Challenging Context in Sylhet
The significance of Babar’s current form is heightened by the pressure of the ongoing series against Bangladesh. In the second Test, the Pakistan batting lineup struggled against the precise bowling of the Bangladeshi attack. With Nahid Rana and Taijul Islam both claiming three wickets each, Pakistan was bundled out for 232. Babar’s half-century was the solitary bright spot in a challenging first innings, proving once again that he is the cornerstone of his team’s batting unit.
As Bangladesh looks to build on their 46-run lead, the match remains finely poised. However, the statistics confirm that regardless of the outcome in Sylhet, Babar Azam has successfully navigated a transition period in world cricket, establishing himself as the primary run-machine of the 2020s.
Why Consistency Matters
Babar’s ability to remain available for all three formats—Test, ODI, and T20I—has been the engine behind his record-breaking run. While many modern players have chosen to specialize, Babar’s commitment to his national side across the board has allowed him to accumulate numbers that his contemporaries, who often take breaks or focus on specific formats, cannot match. As we move further into the decade, the question is not whether Babar can continue to score, but how far he can pull away from the chasing pack as he cements his legacy among the greats of the game.
