In the latest ICC rankings update, seasoned England batsman Joe Root has surged to the top of the men’s Test batting rankings, ending Marnus Labuschagne’s reign as the No.1 ranked Test batter. Root’s exceptional form with the bat has propelled him to the pinnacle of the rankings, while Labuschagne has slipped to the third position.
Labuschagne had claimed the top spot in December last year and held onto it for over six months. However, his recent performances have been below par, leading to a dip in his rankings. On the other hand, Root has been in sublime touch, showcasing his class and consistency.
During the recently concluded first Ashes 2023 Test at Edgbaston, Root showcased his batting prowess by scoring his 30th century in Test cricket for England. This remarkable achievement surpassed the legendary Sir Don Bradman’s tally of 29 Test centuries. Root’s magnificent knock of 118 runs in the first innings was followed by a solid 46 in the second innings. Despite his outstanding contributions, Australia emerged victorious, clinching the Test by a narrow margin of two wickets.
Labuschagne, however, endured a challenging outing in the match, failing to make an impact with scores of 0 and 13. These lackluster performances resulted in his descent to the third position in the rankings. Meanwhile, experienced New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson has climbed two places to claim the second spot.
Other batters who featured in the opening Ashes Test also witnessed changes in their rankings. Travis Head dropped one position to fourth place, while Steve Smith experienced a significant drop of four places, settling at the sixth position. Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who was named the Player of the Match at Edgbaston for his impressive knocks of 141 and 65, achieved a career-best Test ranking of seventh.
In terms of Indian batsmen, Rishabh Pant holds the tenth position, followed by captain Rohit Sharma in 12th place and Virat Kohli in 14th place.
