Dubai: With just a week left for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are closing in on the top spot in the ICC men’s ODI player rankings.
The latest rankings update saw Pakistan captain Babar Azam maintaining his position at No. 1, but the Indian duo are closing in following good efforts during the ODI series against England.
Gill gained one place to move to second on the latest ODI batter rankings and is just five rating points adrift of Babar after back-to-back half-centuries against England, while Rohit, sitting third, is within 13 rating points of the Pakistan right-hander following his splendid century in Cuttack.
Several other prominent batters have re-entered the ODI rankings as teams prepare for the marquee ICC event. Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman is ranked 13th, while New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (29th), England’s Jos Buttler (38th), Devon Conway (40th), and Joe Root (51st) have also made their way back into the standings after their return to 50-over cricket.
The competition among bowlers is just as fierce, with just 18 rating points separating Rashid Khan, Maheesh Theekshana, Bernard Scholtz, Shaheen Afridi and Kuldeep Yadav inside the top five for ODI bowlers.
Meanwhile, Indian all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (11th) and Mohammed Shami (13th) have climbed the rankings following strong performances in the England series.
Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi maintains a narrow lead at the top of the ODI rankings for all-rounders, with New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner (up two places to seventh) among the biggest movers this week.
The latest Test rankings have also seen significant movement after Australia’s Test series win over Sri Lanka in Galle and Ireland’s victory against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Australia opener Usman Khawaja has climbed back into the top 10 for Test batters, moving up two spots to ninth after a strong series against Sri Lanka. Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey has made one of the biggest jumps, rising 11 places to 18th following his century in the second Test.
Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis has surged 14 spots to 28th, while Ireland’s Lorcan Tucker (up five places to 49th) and Andy McBrine (up 17 places to 70th) have been rewarded for their contributions in their historic Test victory over Zimbabwe.
Among the bowlers, Australia spinner Nathan Lyon reaches a new career-high rating and gains one spot to move to fifth on the latest rankings for Test bowlers, while Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani (up 14 places to 29th) is the big mover following the Bulawayo contest.
(IANS)
