ICC Rankings: Babar Azam Achieves Career-Best Ranking In Tests, Climbs To Second Place
Published - 21 Dec 2022, 04:32 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM
Pakistan’s all-format captain achieved a significant milestone by rising to a career-high Test batsman ranking in the latest ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings. Babar moved up to number two in Tests for the first time in his career after scoring two half-centuries in the third Test against England in Karachi. Marnus Labuschagne is currently on top with a huge lead.
The right-handed batsman overtook Australia’s veteran Steve Smith, while Marnus Labuschagne maintained his lead with a successful home series against the West Indies. Babar moved closer to the top spot in the latest standings, with 875 rating points, 61 less than Labuschagne. Meanwhile, Smith scored 36 and a six against South Africa and dropped to third place, five points behind Babar.
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Travis Head Enters Into The Top Five Test Batters For The First Time
Travis Head shone for Australia in the recent Tests against the West Indies and continued his purple patch with another good batting performance against South Africa. Head looked comfortable on a challenging pitch for the batsmen at the Gabba.
The southpaw scored 92 off 96 balls with 13 fours and a six in the first innings and was instrumental in Australia taking the first-innings lead. He moved into the top five Test batsmen for the first time with 826 rating points, equaling fourth-placed Joe Root.
Harry Brook Moves Into The Top 50 For the First Time
Meanwhile, the English batsmen were rewarded for their excellent performance in the recently concluded three-match Test series against Pakistan. Player of the Series Harry Brook advanced 11 places to 44th, joining West Indies’ Jermaine Blackwood. England captain Ben Stokes moved two places to 23rd, while Ollie Pope climbed one place to 28th.
After their 188-run win over Bangladesh in Chattogram, the Indian batsmen also rose in the rankings. Centurions Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill moved up 19 and 10 places, respectively, to No. 19 and joint No. 54. Shreyas Iyer, who is consistent in the longer format, has climbed 11 places in the batter’s charts and reached joint No. 26.
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