Babar Azam reveals challenges, personal insights in chat with AB de Villiers

Pakistan captain calls Pat Cummins the toughest bowler he's faced in a chat with AB de Villiers on his YouTube channel

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Pakistan's white-ball cricket captain, Babar Azam, recently shared his experiences and personal insights during a rapid-fire interview with South African cricket legend AB de Villiers on de Villiers' YouTube channel.

When asked to name the toughest bowler he has ever faced, Babar promptly responded, "Pat Cummins." De Villiers concurred, adding, "Yeah, I agree with that. He's very close. He's one of the toughest bowlers I have ever faced."

Babar has a respectable record against Cummins, the Australian fast bowler. According to Cricmetrics, Cummins has dismissed Babar three times in Test matches and once in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Despite these dismissals, Babar averages an impressive 52.3 in Tests and 86 in ODIs against Cummins. Notably, Cummins has never managed to dismiss Babar in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

The former South African captain also asked Babar about the batter he enjoys playing with or against the most. Babar named AB de Villiers.

In the interview, Babar also revealed that he seeks advice from fellow cricketing greats such as Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root to refine his batting technique. "Whenever I get the chance, I talk with them to improve my game," Babar said.

Beyond the cricket field, Babar enjoys playing snooker during his breaks and has dabbled in cycling, though he found it quite challenging.

He also mentioned that the most famous person in his contact list is renowned singer Atif Aslam.

Looking ahead, Babar spoke about his dreams and goals, emphasising his focus on living in the moment. "Honestly, I'm just thinking day by day. I'm not thinking about where I am going. I'm just playing my game and enjoying myself every single time. I just love to play cricket," he said.