- By Vishal Pushkar
- Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:40 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In the latest ICC Men's ODI Rankings, Indian opener Shubman Gill has achieved his career-best ranking, securing the second position, just behind Pakistan captain Babar Azam. This achievement comes on the back of Gill's impressive performances in the ongoing Asia Cup, where he has scored two half-centuries and amassed a total of 154 runs. Gill now boasts 759 rating points, making him the highest-ranked among three Indian players who currently occupy positions in the top 10 of the ODI batting rankings. This is the first time this has happened since January 2019.
India's captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli have both climbed two places in the rankings, securing the eighth and ninth positions, respectively. Sharma contributed with a half-century against Sri Lanka, while Kohli's unbeaten 122 against Pakistan bolstered his ranking. The trio of Sharma, Kohli, and veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan were the last Indian batters to be in the top 10 back in September 2018.
Indian batsmen KL Rahul (up 10 places to 37th) and Ishan Kishan (up two places to 22nd) have also made notable strides in the rankings. Meanwhile, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has gained five places to reach seventh position in the men's ODI bowler rankings after an impressive performance in the Asia Cup, where he secured nine wickets in two matches.
Also Read: Ind vs Pak Asia Cup Final Scenario Explained
Other Indian players who have seen improvements in their rankings include fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (up eight places to 27th), all-rounder Hardik Pandya (up 21 places to 56th in the bowlers' rankings and up four places to sixth in the all-rounders' list).
Pakistan, like India, also has three batters in the top 10 of the batting rankings, with Babar Azam leading the pack with a significant lead of over 100 rating points ahead of Gill. Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman hold the fifth and tenth positions, respectively.
In South Africa, captain Temba Bavuma has surged in the rankings, moving up 21 places to the 11th position after a series of impressive performances, including three centuries and two half-centuries in his last eight ODIs.
Australian players, including David Warner (up one place to fourth), Travis Head (up six places to 20th), and Marnus Labuschagne (up 24 places to 45th), have also made significant gains in the batting rankings.
New Zealand's left-arm pacer Trent Boult is now tied for the second position among bowlers, while Australia's leg-spinner Adam Zampa has entered the top five of the bowling rankings for the first time after taking four wickets in a match against South Africa.
Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has climbed eight spots to 21st position, followed by his fellow pacer Naseem Shah, who has moved up 11 places to be joint 51st. South Africa's spinners Keshav Maharaj (up 10 places to 25th) and Tabraiz Shamsi (up 15 places to 29th) are among the bowlers who have seen improvements in their rankings, with Australia's Josh Hazlewood leading the pack.