New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has replaced Rohit Sharma as the top-ranked batter in the latest ICC Men’s ODI rankings, while India pacer Jasprit Bumrah continues to hold the No. 1 position in the Test bowlers’ rankings.
Mitchell has become the first New Zealand player since Glenn Turner in 1979 to reach the top of the men’s ODI batting rankings, following his match-winning century against the West Indies in the series opener. Before being ruled out of the series due to a groin injury, Mitchell struck a 118-ball 119 that earned him the Player of the Match award.
That knock lifted him above Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and Rohit Sharma by a single rating point, ending Rohit’s brief 22-day stay at the top. While Turner was the last New Zealander to hold the No. 1 spot 46 years ago, players such as Nathan Astle, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson have previously climbed as high as third in the rankings.
Pakistan’s Babar Azam has risen to sixth place after scoring an unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, while teammates Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman have moved to 22nd and 26th positions respectively after registering two half-centuries each in the series.
In bowling, Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has achieved a career-best ninth position, jumping 11 places after taking three wickets in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has moved up five places to 23rd, while the West Indies’ Jayden Seales (up three places to 20th) and Roston Chase (up 12 places to 46th) have also made notable gains.
In Tests, Bumrah has retained his position as the world’s No. 1 bowler after taking six wickets, including a five-wicket haul, in the opening Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens. His teammates Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have also made progress, with Kuldeep rising two places to a career-best 13th position and Jadeja climbing four spots to 15th.
South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer has jumped 20 places to a career-best 24th after taking eight wickets in the same match. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has moved to a career-best fifth spot in the Test batting rankings after scoring an unbeaten 55 in the second innings of the low-scoring Kolkata Test.
Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto (up four places to 34th) and Mahmudul Hasan Joy (up 19 places to 74th) have also advanced after their centuries helped secure an innings victory over Ireland in Sylhet. Ireland opener Paul Stirling has risen from 96th to 80th position.
In the men’s T20I Player Rankings, New Zealander Tim Robinson’s knock of 45 in the final match against the West Indies has moved him up eight places to a career-best 15th position. Seam bowler Jacob Duffy has climbed from third to second place, while Mitchell Santner (up five places to 18th) and Mohammad Nawaz (up four places to 27th) have also made gains in the T20I bowling rankings.
–IANS