Joe Root Reclaims ICC Test Batting Crown After Thrilling Victory
Joe Root's Remarkable Comeback
New Delhi: Joe Root, England's star batsman, has regained the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings following his impressive 37th Test century, which played a crucial role in England's nail-biting 22-run victory at Lord’s.
With a total of 888 points, Root has reclaimed his position just a week after losing it to teammate Harry Brook, who now sits in third place with 862 points. Root's contributions of 104 and 40 in the third Test not only secured the win but also gave England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, marking his eighth time at the pinnacle of the rankings.
At the age of 34, Root becomes the oldest player to hold the top Test batting rank since Kumar Sangakkara in December 2014, when the Sri Lankan cricketer was 37. Following Root, New Zealand's Kane Williamson occupies the second spot, while Australia's Steve Smith, with 816 points, has moved ahead of India's Yashasvi Jaiswal to claim fourth place.
Smith's performance, scoring 48 in Australia's triumph over the West Indies in Jamaica, helped secure a 3-0 series victory. His teammate Cameron Green also made significant strides, jumping 16 places to joint 29th with 619 points after scoring 46 and 42.
In the rankings, India's seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has risen five spots to 34th after scoring 72 and 61 not out at Lord’s, while opener KL Rahul follows closely in 35th after climbing five positions with scores of 100 and 39.
India's captain Shubman Gill has dropped three places to ninth after scores of 16 and six, while England's Ben Stokes, with a Player of the Match performance of 77 runs and five wickets, has moved up two spots to 42nd among batters and one spot to 45th among bowlers.
Jasprit Bumrah's seven wickets at Lord’s have allowed him to maintain a 50-point lead over South Africa's Kagiso Rabada. Additionally, Washington Sundar's 4-22 performance has propelled him from 58th to 46th in the bowling rankings.
Australia's Scott Boland has made headlines with three wickets in each innings, including a hat-trick, elevating him six places to a career-best sixth position. This achievement marks a rare moment in cricket history, as five Australian bowlers now feature in the top 10 Test rankings, a feat not seen since England had six bowlers in the top 12 in 1958.
Despite the West Indies facing a shocking defeat with a score of 27, they celebrated Shamar Joseph's eight wickets, which have taken him to a career-high 14th position in the bowling rankings. Alzarri Joseph and Justin Greaves have also made notable advancements.
In the Men’s T20I Player Rankings, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis and Bangladesh’s Parvez Hossain Emon have made significant gains, while their teammates Nuwan Thushara and Rishad Hossain have also progressed in the bowling rankings.