New Delhi: India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has moved up five places to sixth spot in the latest ICC Men’s Test batting rankings. Pant’s entry into the top 10 comes on the back of his strong performance, albeit, in a losing cause in the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai last week.
Pant scored a pair of half-centuries during the Mumbai Test, which India lost by 25 runs to slump to an embarrassing 0-3 whitewash against the Kiwis. Pant’s resilient knocks under pressure were a big sign of a return to his best following a horrific car accident in December 2022. The attacking left-hander is just one spot behind the career-best fifth spot he first occupied in July 2022.
The only other Indian batter in the top 10 is the young left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who slipped a place to fourth.
Besides Pant, New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell was the other big beneficiary in the latest Test batter rankings.
Mitchell rose eight spots to seventh after playing a superb knock of 82 in the first innings of the Mumbai Test, joining teammate Kane Williamson (second) as the other Kiwi batter inside the top 10.
Root maintains top spot
England right-hander Joe Root continued to reign supreme at the top of the list, with Williamson, Harry Brook (3rd), Jaiswal (4th) and Steve Smith (5th) his closest challengers.
India’s Shubman Gill moved up four places to 16th, making some ground on the list following a superb 90-run knock in the first innings against New Zealand in Mumbai. player. Will Young, player of the series against India, gained 29 spots to move to 44th overall.
Jadeja moves up in the bowling chart
Indian star Ravindra Jadeja climbed two spots to sixth in the Test bowling chart after snaring 10 wickets in the Mumbai Test. Jadeja is not far behind top-ranked Kagiso Rabada.
Australia’s Josh Hazlewood is placed at the second spot ahead of India’s fast bowling superstar Jasprit Bumrah who is followed by Pat Cummins and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Jadeja’s teammate Washington Sundar rose seven places to 46th on the list of Test bowlers, while Kiwi spinner Ajaz Patel, who picked up 11 wickets in Mumbai, gained 12 places to 22nd.
