Shubman Gill Surpasses Babar Azam as Top-Ranked Men’s ODI Batter

In the latest ICC men’s batting rankings, India’s opener Shubman Gill has dethroned Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, to become the new top-ranked men’s ODI batter. This achievement marks Gill as the fourth Indian player, following legends like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli, to hold the coveted top spot in ODI batting rankings. Notably, India now boasts top-ranked players in both men’s ODI batting and bowling rankings, with Mohammed Siraj holding the bowling crown.

Gill’s ascent to the top spot is especially impressive, considering he missed the first two matches of the World Cup due to dengue fever. Despite this setback, he has accumulated 219 runs from six innings, with standout performances including a notable 92 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai and a solid 23 against South Africa in Kolkata.

On the flip side, Babar Azam, who had been the top-ranked men’s ODI batter for more than two years, now falls to second place, trailing Gill by six rating points.

Meanwhile, the charismatic batter Virat Kohli, who recently equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most men’s ODI centuries, has climbed three places to fourth. Kohli is now within a single rating point of the third-placed South African opener Quinton de Kock, who has amassed 543 runs in the ongoing World Cup.

The ODI batting rankings also see other notable improvements, with India’s middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer leaping an impressive 17 places to secure the 18th spot overall. Pakistan’s opener Fakhar Zaman and Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran also make progress, moving up three spots to 11th and six spots to 12th, respectively.

Also Read: The Complexity of ICC Rankings and Actual Player Performance in Cricket

Shifting focus to the ODI bowling rankings, several Indian bowlers have made strides. Kuldeep Yadav climbs three places to the fourth position, Jasprit Bumrah ascends three spots to eighth, and Mohammed Shami rises seven places to secure the 10th spot. These Indian bowlers join the ranks with Mohammed Siraj in the top ten.

South Africa’s left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj moves up two spots to second place, while Australia’s Adam Zampa climbs six places to secure the third spot. Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, on the other hand, drops four places and shares the fifth spot with Australia’s Josh Hazlewood.

Notable movements are also witnessed in the ODI bowling rankings. Sri Lanka’s pacer Dilshan Madushanka, the leading wicket-taker at the World Cup, jumps a significant 31 places to reach the 45th position. India’s spinner Ravindra Jadeja rises eight places to the 19th position, and South Africa’s left-armer Marco Jansen climbs nine spots to share the 24th spot.

Bangladesh’s captain Shakib Al Hasan retains his status as the top-ranked all-rounder, despite his World Cup campaign ending due to injury. In a noteworthy development, Australia’s all-rounder Glenn Maxwell improves by two spots to secure the sixth position, thanks to his remarkable match-winning performance of an astonishing 201 not out against Afghanistan in Mumbai.