Pakistan captain Babar Azam has emerged as the leading Test batter by average in 2026, surpassing international rivals including Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Travis Head. The milestone was confirmed during the opening day of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Babar currently holds a batting average of 50.55 for the calendar year, placing him ahead of England's Harry Brook, who sits at 46.50. Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim follows in third with 44.16, while Australia's Travis Head and England's Joe Root round out the top five with averages of 42.09 and 41.75 respectively.
During his innings in Rawalpindi, the Pakistan skipper scored 50 runs off 58 balls, hitting seven boundaries at a strike rate of 86.21. He arrived at the crease with the team at 90 for two and formed a 69-run partnership with debutant Mohammad Taha before being caught by Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Dilshan Madushanka.
The innings also saw strong contributions from debutants Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha, who scored 57 and 51 respectively. Saud Shakeel remained at the crease on 57 not out when play concluded for the day.
Despite his consistency, Babar has now gone 41 consecutive Test innings without reaching a century, with his last triple-figure score coming against New Zealand in December 2022. This latest half-century represents his fifth of the 2026 calendar year.
Beyond his current year rankings, Babar reached a personal milestone during the match by surpassing 7,000 first-class runs. The team will look to build on their opening day performance as the first Test against Sri Lanka continues.
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