Rohit Sharma has made a significant leap in the ICC ODI batting rankings, rising to the second spot behind the perennial number one, Babar Azam. The Indian captain’s impressive performance in the recently concluded ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he was the leading run-scorer, propelled him up one position.
Despite India losing the series 2-0, Rohit’s consistent contributions with the bat, including scores of 58, 64, and 35, were instrumental in his ascent. However, he still trails Babar by a considerable margin of 61 points.
Shubman Gill has slipped one place to number three, while Virat Kohli maintains his position at number four. On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka has climbed one spot to number eight, capitalizing on his team’s series win.
For the hosts, Avishka Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Kusal Mendis, and Nissanka were the key contributors with the bat. While Nissanka consolidated his position in the top ten, Mendis and Avishka made substantial gains, jumping 20 and five places respectively.
Wellalage also excelled with the ball, picking up a five-wicket haul in the final ODI. This outstanding performance propelled him 17 places up the bowling rankings to number 59.
South Africa’s Bavuma and Maharaj Shine in Drawn Test
The rain-affected Test match between West Indies and South Africa in Port of Spain ended in a draw, but it provided some valuable ranking points for the Proteas.
Captain Temba Bavuma‘s solid contributions with the bat, including an innings of 86, lifted him two places to number 16 in the batting rankings. Tony de Zorzi also made a significant jump of 29 places to number 85 after scoring 78 and 45 runs.
Keshav Maharaj was the star with the ball, claiming eight wickets in the match. His match-winning performance earned him the Player-of-the-Match award and a seven-spot rise to joint 21st in the bowling rankings.
These rankings reflect the dynamic nature of international cricket, with players constantly vying for top positions. As the season progresses, we can expect further fluctuations in the rankings as players continue to showcase their talent on the field.
