Younis Khan rocks back and cuts the ball in front of point. Off comes the helmet, his bat is raised as he reaches his 31st Test Hundred.

'King Khan' had made his way into the exclusive club of 9,000 Test runs earlier in the same innings; the first Pakistani to ever do so.

I have never been too keen on getting into the ‘Greatest of All Time’ (GOAT) debates. ‘All Time’ is an extremely long period of time. Laws, regulations, bat technology, pitches, oppositions and many other elements that affect the sport are always in a continuous state of evolution. In cricket, like in almost everything else, change remains the only constant.

How good would AB de Villiers be if he was to go into bat carrying the willow of Barry Richards?

How scary would Harold Larwood be if he was restricted to bowl his desired number of bouncers? Apart from the qualitative differences that can never be accounted for, comparing statistics of sportsmen from different eras can completely dilute and adulterate facts, and at times entirely mislead the observer.

However, before the inevitable argument of where Younis ranks among the best Pakistani batsmen of all time, it is pertinent to examine how his numbers stack up against fellow members from this lofty clique.

Through the sheer volume of cricket played in the last two decades, the highest run getters belong to more or less the same era, making the comparison more credible.

Apart from Gavaskar and Border, Younis has played at the time of all the cricketers that have passed the 9,000-run mark in Test cricket.

It is not how great you are through time, but how far ahead of the pack you were in your own time.

Younis stands tall against his peers with not just a staggering average but also averaging over 50 at home, away and in neutral venues.

The odds of Younis scoring a hundred every time he walks out to bat are better than any of his contemporary greats.

Younis is leading the chart for the number of matches needed to score a ton. He is also the only Pakistani to score a hundred against every single Test playing country; 9 full member nations at the ICC.

Younis is leading the chart for the number of matches needed to score a ton. He is also the only Pakistani to score a hundred against every single Test playing country; 9 full member nations at the ICC.

Every time the man from Mardan goes past 50, odds are he will go past 100. The only batsman in this club with more centuries than half centuries; truly Bradman-esque.

The mark of a great player is conversion. When their eye is set, they get a big one. The hunger, the patience, the calmness and tranquility they display on a slow afternoon session is beyond that of an average player. It is what separates the men from the boys. When set, they seem impossible to dislodge.

As the great Sunil Gavaskar says, when you get to a hundred, always take a fresh guard. Reset the odometer and concentrate as if you have just arrived.

The appetite of a big player ought to be big.

Younis is not only among the few with a triple hundred, but he also has five double hundreds against five different oppositions, in five different countries. And a run out on 199.

The first morning of a Test match is very different than the fifth evening of the same game. In between are several contrasting tests; of skill, ability, perseverance, composure and character.

Each session, each innings posing a different challenge; setting up wins, chasing down targets or the shutting of shop. It is in the wide array of trials and turbulence that makes the five day game the pinnacle of the sport.

While most batsman perform better in the earlier part of the game due to favorable playing conditions, pitch, lack of scoreboard pressure etc. There are some who thrive off adversity and bring out the best when the chips are down.

Younis is the only cricketer in the 9000 run union who averages over 50 in every single innings of Test cricket, with a staggering 4th inning average of over 60.

A man for every season and time, a legacy beyond numbers.

Carrying a trademark smile on the field and chewing his gum. Liked by the opposition (as long as he is not batting) and loved by the nation. He is often seen walking after a dismissal without waiting for the umpire to raise his finger.

A true patriot, he wears the Pakistani flag on his sleeve, treasures it in his heart and translates it into runs and honor for the country.

He also has the record for the highest number of catches in Test cricket for Pakistan.

I am not sure if he is the greatest Pakistani Test batsman of all time, I will never be. Considering the generation gaps between the likes of Hanif Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar and Mohammad Yousuf, it is a tough and unfair call, if not an inaccurate judgment due to major variable differences.

However, Younis is right at the top of his own generation of batsmen, not just for Pakistan, but the entire world of cricket.

He has publicly made clear his intentions of aiming for 10,000 runs and 40 Test hundreds.

At the age of almost 38, there are no signs of retirement. On current form, there is no reason to be.