According to Watson’s list, the former India captain has outperformed the likes of Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Babar Azam.
“In Test match cricket, I’m always going to say Virat Kohli,” Watson asked Isa Guha in his latest episode of ICC Review on who he thinks is the best Test batsman in the world.
“It’s almost superhuman, what he’s capable of because every time he goes out to play he has so much intensity,” Watson said.
While Kohli has slipped to the 10th spot in the ICC rankings, the Indian great holds a remarkable Test batting record. He has scored 27 Test centuries and 28 half-centuries and currently has a Test batting average of less than 50.
File Pic: Virat Kohli with Shane Watson. (TOI photo)
Current No. 1 Test Batsman in the world Marnus LabuschagneThose who have played 26 Test matches and averaged 54.31 would have turned the ‘big five’ into the ‘big six’ but were left out of the debate on the subject due to the 40-Test minimum criterion, the ICC said in its official statement. A report on the website.
Regarding Babar, the Pakistan captain, whom he has placed at number two, Watson said, “Babar Azam is playing incredibly well.
“(It’s great) to be able to see how he has adapted his game to really transfer his game to Test cricket as well.
“Babar Azam will probably be number 2 this time.”
Babar is currently the fifth best batsman in the world and is on the rise if his recent performances against Australia are seen. He scored an impressive 196 runs during the second Test in Karachi and ended the series with a total of 390 runs.
Regarding Smith, Watson’s third-best batsman, he said the Aussie star “has just started coming a little far.”
“Looks like Smith has really taken off for a while and isn’t putting as much pressure on the bowlers as he did at his best. To me, Steve has just moved down that list a bit. ”
Smith is ranked second in the ICC rankings, only ahead of Australian teammate Labuschagne.
Regarding Williamson, whom Watson currently considers to be the fourth best in the world, the Australian said, “Kane knows his game from the inside and knows how to apply pressure to the bowlers in any situation.”
While Williamson has played just two Test matches in the last 12 months, he remains as the third best batsman. The Kiwi legend has 24 Test hundreds to his name and if he can overcome his injury issues then he still has a lot of cricket left in him.
Coming to Root as his fifth best batsman, Watson said, “Joe Root has scored a century recently, but he has little time on the lines of Steve Smith, where he hasn’t been able to score big scores like he did. have done. past.”
“It’s unbelievable how these world class batsmen just go through the waves where instead of scoring those big hundreds, get 70-80s but still make an impact on the game but actually those big players. have not been able to maintain the high standard of achieving as they have done in the past,” Watson said.