James Anderson names Babar Azam his favourite Pakistani cricketer

Former England fast bowler James Anderson has named Pakistan batter Babar Azam as his favourite Pakistani cricketer in a recently released video where he selected his preferred players from different countries.

Anderson, who retired from international cricket in July 2024 after becoming the first English bowler to claim 700 Test wickets, also chose Shane Warne for Australia, Joe Root for England, Virat Kohli for India, Tim Southee for New Zealand, AB de Villiers for South Africa and Sanath Jayasuriya for Sri Lanka.

The 44-year-old finished his Test career with 188 appearances, his final match coming against West Indies at Lord's. He continued playing county cricket for Lancashire and captained their red-ball side during the 2026 season.

Anderson took 50 wickets at an average of 17.68 for Lancashire this year, but the club finished seventh of eight teams in Division Two. On 25 October, Lancashire announced they would not offer him a new contract for 2027, ending a 25-year association.

Anderson described the decision as an outcome he had not wanted, though he has not announced his retirement from cricket.

His endorsement of Babar comes at a difficult time for the Pakistan batter, who scored 118 runs in four matches during a recent tri-nation series and was dismissed for a duck in the final against Sri Lanka.

Babar has not reached an international century since his 20th ODI hundred against Sri Lanka in November 2025. He managed only 91 runs in five innings at the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf has advised Babar to seek specialist coaching in England or Australia to address technical weaknesses and regain confidence.

Despite his international struggles, Babar was the leading run-scorer in the 2026 Pakistan Super League with 588 runs.

He most recently appeared for Lahore Whites in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy on 6 November, scoring 42 before reacting angrily after being bowled.

Anderson's praise highlights Babar's standing among the game's leading players even during a lean patch with the national team.