Science & Environment
Rohit Sharma moves closer to Babar Azam's No 1…
Indian captain Rohit Sharma has reached to second place in the ICC ODI rankings and is moving closer to Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Babar Azam.
Babar faces fresh competition from Rohit and Sri Lankan right-hander Pathum Nissanka even though he maintains a strong lead at the top of the list for ODI batters.
After scoring a series-best 157 runs against Sri Lanka, Rohit surpassed his teammate Shubman Gill, while Nissanka also moved up to eighth place following his 101 runs in the same series.
Sri Lanka ended a 27-year drought by defeating India for the first time since 1997 during that ODI series. Kusal Mendis (up five places to joint 39th) and Avishka Fernando (up 20 places to 68th) also made gains on the latest list for 50-over batsmen.
Hard-hitting Netherlands opener Max O’Dowd (up 10 places to 54th) and US’s Monank Patel (up 11 places to joint 56th) also advanced on this list, while US’s Nosthush Kenjige (up 10 places to 49th) and Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage (up 17 places to 59th) were among the notable movers in the ODI rankings for bowlers.
There was also some movement in the latest Test player rankings, following the draw between the West Indies and South Africa in Trinidad.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has achieved a new career-high rating, moving up two places to 16th on the Test batters’ list after scores of 86 and 15* against the West Indies. Meanwhile, opener Tony de Zorzi has climbed 29 places to 85th following an impressive 78 in the first innings of the ICC World Test Championship match.
From a West Indies perspective, Jason Holder (up three spots to 67th) and Alick Athanaze (up 12 places to 76th) were notable movers among the Test batters. South African spinner Keshav Maharaj was the standout performer on the latest list for Test bowlers.
Maharaj took four wickets in each innings, earning Player of the Match honours and climbing seven places to joint 21st as a result.
Spinner Jomel Warrican climbed 12 spots to 54th and achieved a new career-best rating following his six wickets in the match.
