Babar Azam reclaims top spot in ICC ODI batsmen rankings
In the latest ICC ODI batsmen rankings, former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has surged to the number one position, displacing Shubman Gill.
In the latest ICC ODI batsmen rankings, former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has surged to the number one position, displacing Indian opener Shubman Gill, who now holds the second spot. This change in rankings occurred due to Gill's absence from the ongoing One-Day International series against South Africa. Babar Azam currently leads with an impressive 824 rating points, closely followed by Gill at second place with 810 points.
Despite relinquishing the top spot, Gill's absence did not impact the positions of star batters Virat Kohli and India's captain Rohit Sharma, who retained their third and fourth positions, respectively. Babar Azam's recent performance in the first Test against Australia led to a drop from fourth to fifth place in the Test batsmen rankings, with 801 rating points. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Kane Williamson maintains the top spot in the Test rankings with 864 rating points.
It's noteworthy that Pakistan has not participated in an ODI since November 11, contributing to Babar Azam's rise in the rankings, as his rating points remained unchanged during this period. In contrast, Gill, who missed India's matches, saw a decline in rating points, resulting in his loss of the number one position to Babar Azam. Additionally, Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa has ascended to the fourth position among bowlers, while Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has dropped to fifth, mirroring Gill's rating points decrease.