ICC announces new rankings: Joe Roots leads, Babar retains positions

LAHORE: England’s Joe Root has increased his lead at the top of the Men’s Test Batting Rankings, while in the ODI batter rankings, Babar Azam continues to be a top contender, according to the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) player rankings across all three formats.

In the Test batters category, Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel has retained his 12th position, maintaining consistency despite tough international competition. England’s Joe Root leads the list, followed by New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, while South Africa’s Temba Bavuma jumped one spot to fifth.

Among Test bowlers, Pakistan’s Nauman Ali made his presence felt by holding the fifth spot. India’s Jasprit Bumrah stayed at number one, followed by Rabada and Pat Cummins.

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In the ODI batter rankings, Babar Azam continues to be a top contender, holding on to the second position, just behind India’s Shubman Gill. Babar’s position reflects his steady form despite recent ODI performances by rivals.

However, in ODI bowling, Shaheen Afridi slipped one spot and now stands at 12th. Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga have improved, with Hasaranga jumping 11 spots to 8th.

In T20 rankings, there is concern for Pakistan as no Pakistani bowler made it to the top 20. Babar Azam appears at 14th and 16th spots among T20 batters, indicating a dip from his previous higher standings. India’s Abhishek Sharma claimed the top spot among T20 batters, while New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy leads the T20 bowling chart.