Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 9: India’s Test captain Shubman Gill has achieved a major milestone by reaching a career-best sixth position in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, following his extraordinary performance in the ongoing Test series. Gill, who scored 269 and 161, became only the second player in history to register 150+ scores in both innings of a Test match. His total of 430 runs is the second-highest match aggregate ever recorded in the format, helping him leap 15 places from his previous ranking.
Gill began the series ranked 23rd and had previously reached a high of 14th in September last year. At the top of the rankings, England’s Harry Brook has displaced Joe Root to become the new number one Test batter. Brook’s sublime 158 in the first innings of the second Test at Edgbaston helped him reclaim the top spot, a position he briefly held in December last year. Root, in turn, drops to second place after losing 18 rating points.
India’s Ravindra Jadeja has moved up six places to 39th among batters after contributing crucial knocks of 89 and 69 not out. England’s Jamie Smith has entered the top 10 for the first time, climbing 16 places to tenth after scoring 184 not out and 88. On the bowling front, India’s pace duo Mohammad Siraj and Akash Deep have also made notable gains. Siraj’s seven wickets in the match pushed him up six places to 22nd, while Akash Deep soared 39 spots to 45th after his maiden ten-wicket haul in a match.
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder has also seen a dramatic rise in the rankings after his unbeaten 367 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He jumped 34 places to 22nd in the batting rankings and moved up four places to 48th among bowlers after picking up three wickets. Mulder also climbed to a career-best third place in the all-rounders’ list, now trailing only Ravindra Jadeja and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Other South African players to improve include David Bedingham, who moved up four places to 43rd, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who jumped eight spots to 60th. Among bowlers, Corbin Bosch gained six places to 51st.
Following the second Test between West Indies and Australia in Grenada, several players made gains. Australia’s Cameron Green rose four places to 45th, while Beau Webster moved up two slots to 50th. West Indies batters Roston Chase and Brandon King climbed four and 60 places, respectively, reaching 81st and 83rd positions. Their fast bowlers, Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, each improved by six places, now ranked 29th and 31st.
In the ODI format, Sri Lanka’s series win over Bangladesh led to key movements as well. Charith Asalanka moved up two places to sixth after scoring 106 in the first ODI. Kusal Mendis broke into the top 10 for the first time with his 124 in the final match. Janith Liyanage rose seven places to 44th, while Bangladesh’s Towhid Hridoy gained seven places to reach 51st. Sri Lanka’s leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga returned to the top 10 in the ODI bowling rankings, jumping 11 places to take the eighth spot.