3 reasons why Babar Azam could enjoy a good Test series against Australia

Babar Azam is set to play his first series after the disappointing 2023 World Cup in India. Pakistan finished fifth in the points table, with four wins and five losses, failing to qualify for the semifinals. They also lost to India and Afghanistan.

Babar has established himself as one of the finest all-format batters since making his debut in 2015. With an average of 41.48 in T20Is, 56.72 in ODIs and 47.74 in Tests, not many batters can claim to be more consistent than the 29-year-old.

Performing well against Australia in Test cricket Down Under is always tough. Since 1995, Pakistan have won just two of 12 Test series against the Kangaroos, both of which were played in the UAE.

Players like Babar Azam will have to play out of their skins if the Shaheens are to do well on their tour of Australia. Here are three reasons why the right-handed batter could enjoy a good Test series against Australia:

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#1 Solid average against Australia

Babar Azam has an average of 44.38 in 10 Tests against Australia. That's just shy of his overall Test average of 47.74, which means he doesn't struggle against the quality bowling of the Pat Cummins-led side.

Moreover, as he has been playing international cricket for just eight years, he has faced all their first-choice bowlers a lot. The Lahore-born batter will know how to tackle Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.

In fact, the three Aussie pacers are also regulars in limited-overs cricket. Babar has an average of 67.33 in ODIs and 63.83 in T20Is against Australia, which indicates that he enjoys batting against them.

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#2 Babar Azam will be eager to improve his record in Australia

While Babar Azam has a phenomenal record against the Baggy Greens in all three formats, he hasn't done very well in Test matches in their backyard. His overall average against Australia in the format of 44.38 falls down to 27.80 in Australia.

His top two Test scores in the country have come in Brisbane (104) and Adelaide (97). As the three Tests are going to take place in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, he will want to score some runs in those three venues as well.

Babar's last Test in Australia was four years ago, in 2019. He has matured a lot since then and has become a better batter in the longest format of the game. This added experience should see him do well in the next 30 days.

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#3 Keenness to bounce back after dismal 2023 World Cup

Babar Azam performed below his usual standards at the 2023 World Cup. He scored 320 runs in nine games at an average of 40. His strike rate of 82.90 was a touch slower than that of other anchors like Virat Kohli, Rachin Ravindra and Rassie van der Dussen.

Moreover, he failed to perform in the crucial games. He scored 18 against Australia and got out just after scoring half-centuries against India and South Africa. He didn't score a century in the quadrennial tournament, which is something you expect from a batter of his caliber.

The former Pakistan captain will be keen to let his bat do the talking in the three upcoming Tests. A good showing against formidable opposition in testing conditions will partly dampen the sorrows of Pakistan's dismal 2023 World Cup campaign.