Wiaan Mulder picks Babar Azam as cover drive master in SRH video

South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has stirred up excitement on social media by naming Pakistan’s Babar Azam as the best cover drive player in a promotional video released by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The video, part of SRH’s light-hearted player engagement series, featured a fun quiz where players were asked to name cricketers known for signature shots. When asked about the pull shot, Mulder named India’s Rohit Sharma. But when it came to the cover drive, he didn’t hesitate to pick Babar Azam, calling him the true master of the stroke.

Mulder’s praise for Babar was delivered with confidence, recognizing the Pakistani batter’s smooth and elegant shot-making that has often been compared to a piece of art. The comment surprised many IPL fans who expected him to name an Indian player like Virat Kohli.

What makes Mulder’s choice more interesting is the history between the two players. Earlier this year, during Pakistan’s Test tour of South Africa, tensions flared when Mulder showed frustration at Babar’s strong batting performance and threw the ball toward him, leading to a heated exchange. He also showed aggression after dismissing Babar Azam during the tri-series clash against Pakistan. His recent appreciation now shows how talent and skill can go beyond on-field rivalries.

However, Babar Azam has been under pressure recently due to a dip in form. Since his 151-run innings against Nepal in August 2023, he hasn’t scored a century in any format. He was moved up to open the batting with Fakhar Zaman during the recent tri-nation ODI series against New Zealand and South Africa, but his scores of 10, 23, and 29 didn’t help much.

Despite this, the team management kept faith in him during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, continuing with him as an opener. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make a big impact there either, scoring 64 against New Zealand and 23 against India in the group matches.

Although, he scored two fifties in the ODI series against New Zealand but was unable to lead his team to victory.