Younis Khan: Pakistan's greatest Test batsman

One of the most Frequent Centurions

Younis scores a Test century every 6.31 innings. That is the best ratio for a Pakistani batsman, and it is among the best 10 innings per Test century ratios in the history of Test cricket. It is better than that of Tendulkar(6.45), Lara (6.82), Ponting (7.00), and Dravid (7.94), to name a few of his international peers who top the run-scoring charts in Test matches.

One of the best after 92 Tests

Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis, Dravid, and Sangakkara are the leading 5 run-scorers in the history of Test cricket. All of them have played over 160 Tests in their career, besides Sangakkara who has played 128.

Comparing Younis to these 5 batsmen at the stage that Younis is right now, i.e., 92 Test matches, shows that he has the third highest runs tally, a bit behind Dravid and well behind Sangakkara. It is quite impossible to see Younis play as many Tests as Ponting, Dravid, and Kallis did; however, one can only imagine where Younis would have ranked among the leading run scorers if only Pakistan played as much Test cricket as some of the other nations.

A Batting Giant away from Home

The hallmark of any great Test batsman is how well he does in matches played away from home, in alien conditions that require adjustments and mental toughness.

Younis Khan has the most runs by a Pakistani batsman and the 4th most runs by any batsman in the history of the game in Test matches played away from home. Only Tendulkar, Dravid, and Kallis have scored more runs and more centuries in away test matches than Younis has.

The Best Number 3 Produced by Pakistan

Younis Khan is by far the best number 3 batsman ever produced by Pakistan. He is well ahead in terms of runs, average, and centuries.

A King Match Winner away from Home

Inzamam’s prowess as a match-winner for Pakistan in Tests is well documented. No one has scored more runs (4,690) or more centuries (17) than Inzamam has in Test wins for his country.

Younis Khan is second on that list for Pakistan with 3,347 runs and 12 centuries in Test wins. It will take Younis some time to surpass this record of Inzamam; however, there is another Inzamam record that Younis surpassed in this massive Test win over Australia. Younis Khan's twin centuries in the Test match took him past Inzamam as Pakistan's leading run-scorer in Test match wins away from home.

Not only is Younis the leading run-scorer for Pakistan in test wins away from home, he is now only behind the Aussie pair of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting as the leading run-scorer in Test wins away from home in the history of the game. Both those run tallies are within Younis' sights, and he could well end his career as the leading run-scorer in Test wins away from home.

Younis Khan's average of 86.3 in Test wins away from home is the highest average in the world among all batsmen who have scored at least 2,000 runs in overseas Test wins. And among all batsmen with at least 1,000 runs in Test wins away from home, Younis' 86.3 is only behind Alastair Cook (99.7), Sir Don Bradman (96.8), and Wally Hammond (95.6).

Younis is also third on the list of batsmen with most 100s in Test wins away from home. His 11 centuries, including the two in the just concluded match, is only behind Ponting's 12 and Waugh's 14.

As I said, words cannot do justice to the stature of Younis Khan.

He is not only the best Test batsman produced by Pakistan but also one of their biggest match-winners and, arguably, the best Test batsman ever produced.

All hail King Khan.