"Now if it were Kohli": Nasser Hussain says that Babar Azam is not in Fab 5 a "real shame"

Nasser Hussain said that the bowlers from England were rubbish in the latter half of day 1 of the first test in Manchester, but that the Babar Azam tickets were the real gem of the day. Speaking about Pakistan’s 69 unbeaten hitters, Hussain said it is unfortunate that there are not enough people celebrating the hit as a result of Pakistan having several disadvantages as a cricket nation.

“Now, if this were (Virat) Kohli, everyone would be talking, but since he’s Babar Azam, no one is talking. He’s averaging 68 since 2018 and 55 on white-ball cricket. He is young, stylish, and arrogant. They talk about Fab 4 (Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root), but it’s Fab 5 and Babar is on it, “Hussain said on Sky Sports’ mid-game analysis program.

“It is a real shame and it is partly a consequence of Pakistan playing away from home, playing in the UAE in front of anyone, Pakistan being in the shadow of Indian cricket, not passing and playing IPL and not playing against India, it is all from that, ”Hussain said.

England enjoyed a good first session, taking two wickets and keeping the execution rate low, restricting Azhar Ali’s side to 53-2 in 25 overs. However, Babar Azam and Shan Masood were released after the break, scoring 68 runs in 16.1 overs to regain the initiative.

At the end of the day, Pakistan was 139/2, with Azam with a smooth score of 69 and Masood with one patient 46.

READ | Before and after lunch: how Babar Azam made his way under the English sun

Hussain said James Anderson seemed upset by the way things were going and that the entire English attack was “rubbish” for letting Babar Azam break free from the trap in the first session when he had been tentative.