Babar Azam slips down in ICC Test rankings

There was also slight movement on the latest T20I rankings this week, following Australia's 3-0 series whitewash of New Zealand away from home

PHOTO: ICC

A host of India's match-winners from the fourth Test against England in Ranchi have been rewarded by reaching new career-high ratings on the latest ICC Men's Player Rankings.

Youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel all scored a half-century during the series-clinching five-wicket triumph and the trio all reached new career-best marks on the updated rankings for Test batters.

While New Zealand veteran Kane Williamson maintains a healthy lead as the No.1 ranked batter in the world with 893 points and England's Joe Root rises to third courtesy of his 31st Test century in Ranchi with 799 points. As a result, Pakistan batter Babar Azam has slipped down one place to fifth spot (768) in the ICC rankings for Test batters.

The ICC Test batting rankings currently feature Steve Smith in second place with 818 points and Daryl Mitchell in third place with 780 points.

Furthermore, Jaiswal (up three places to 12th), Gill (up four spots to 31st) and Jurel (up 31 rungs to 69th) all reach new best ratings following their contributions in the fourth Test.

England opener Zak Crawley can also lay claim to reaching a new career-best rating after he rose 10 spots to 17 on the list for Test batters following scores of 42 and 60 against India while teammate Root had a second reason to celebrate after he also made ground on the rankings for Test all-rounders.

Root picked up the key wicket of Jaiswal during India's thrilling run chase and jumped three places to fourth on the list of Test all-rounders as a result, with Ravindra Jadeja still holding a comfortable lead in that category.

India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah stays on top of the Test bowler rankings despite being rested for the fourth Test, with teammate Kuldeep Yadav jumping 10 spots to equal 32nd and a new career-high ranking following his four-wicket haul in the second innings against England.

There was also slight movement on the latest T20I rankings this week, following Australia's 3-0 series whitewash of New Zealand away from home.

Skipper Mitch Marsh rose two places to 15th on the list for T20I batters and 21 spots to 13 for T20I all-rounders following his Player of the Series heroics, while teammates Travis Head (up 18 rungs to 19th) and Tim David (up six spots to 22nd) made good ground in the batting category.

Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood re-entered the top 10 in equal seventh on the list for T20I bowlers following his six-place jump, while Kiwi quick Lockie Ferguson rose 20 spots to 29th on the same category after his five wickets for the series.

There wasn't much movement on the latest ODI rankings, although Namibia duo Bernard Scholtz and Gerhard Erasmus made some ground courtesy of their efforts at the start of the new ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 cycle.

Scholtz rose six places to 11th on the list for ODI bowlers following his six scalps from four games last week, while skipper Erasmus improved eight spots to equal sixth for ODI all-rounders following his 12 wickets from the same matches.

Scholtz is now sitting in the highest position and points tally ever achieved by a Namibia player in ODI cricket.