Shubman Gill Closes Gap with Babar Azam in ICC Rankings
Young Indian opener Shubman Gill has made a remarkable climb in the ICC rankings, closing the gap with Pakistan skipper Babar Azam to just six points to become the No. 1 ODI batter. The latest rankings, released on Wednesday, show Gill’s improvement to 823 ratings points. This comes after his impressive performance in the World Cup match against New Zealand where he became the fastest batter to reach 2000 ODI runs.
Gill’s outstanding performance is further highlighted by his standout innings of 53 runs in India’s seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Pune. Having missed India’s first two World Cup matches due to dengue, Gill has managed to accumulate 95 runs from just three matches. On the other hand, Babar Azam’s rating points have dropped to a total of 829, despite his impressive 157 runs from five innings at the World Cup.
Notable names in the rankings include star batter Virat Kohli, who has moved three spots up to joint fifth position with Australian opener David Warner. This comes after Kohli’s remarkable performance as the second leading run-getter in the World Cup, with a total of 354 runs after five matches. South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock finds himself within striking distance in third place, following his remarkable streak of three centuries in the tournament.
In the bowling department, India’s quick bowler Mohammed Siraj has made a significant jump in the rankings. With six wickets from five appearances, Siraj has climbed one spot and is now closing in on Australia’s seamer Josh Hazlewood as the No. 1 ODI bowler. Meanwhile, South Africa’s left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has risen two places to an impressive third position, thanks to his seven wickets in the tournament.
Other notable jumps in the top-10 ODI bowling rankings include Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi and Australia’s Adam Zampa, who have moved up by four places to sixth and seventh positions, respectively.
In the all-rounders’ rankings, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan continues to lead the way, while South Africa’s Marco Jansen has made the biggest leap in the rankings, jumping 23 places to share the 11th position alongside Scotland’s Michael Leask.
These rankings are a testament to the exceptional performances and skills displayed by the players in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. As the tournament progresses, it will be exciting to see how these rankings evolve and reflect the players’ achievements on the field.
[Link to ICC Rankings](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/player-rankings/odi/batting)
