England’s Harry Brook has moved past team-mate Joe Root to claim the No.1 spot in the ICC men’s Test batting rankings. His 158 in the opening innings at Edgbaston has taken him 18 ratings points clear of Root, ending Root’s latest stint at the summit.
India’s captain Shubman Gill was the other big mover. Twin scores of 269 and 161 in the same match – India eventually won by 336 runs – lifted him 15 places to sixth and gave him a personal-best 807 rating points. Between Brook, Root and Gill sit Kane Williamson (third), Yashasvi Jaiswal (fourth) and Steven Smith (fifth).
“Monga: Gill set the example for India’s batting success at Edgbaston.” That assessment from ESPNcricinfo analyst Sid Monga captured a wider view. He added afterwards: “Shubman Gill provided the blueprint with the bat to set up India’s victory in the second Test at Edgbaston.”
England keeper-batter Jamie Smith also cashed in on a productive match. His unbeaten 184 – rescuing England from 84 for 5 – and a second-innings 88 lifted him 16 positions to No.10.
Mulder’s record knock pays off
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder took full advantage of a weakened Zimbabwe attack, compiling an unbeaten 367 in Harare. The innings propelled him 34 places to 22nd among Test batters and 12 places to third on the all-rounders’ list, headed as ever by Ravindra Jadeja.
ODI gains for Sri Lanka
The latest one-day rankings offered good news for Sri Lanka following their 2-1 series win over Bangladesh. Kusal Mendis climbed ten places to break into the top ten after scores of 124 and 56 that earned him Player of the Series honours. Captain Charith Asalanka rose two spots to sixth thanks to match-winning knocks of 106 and 58.
For those wanting the full breakdown, the ICC’s detailed tables are available on its website.
