India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal has nudged his way into the top five of the ICC Test batting rankings after another composed hundred at The Oval. The left-hander’s 118, his second ton of the series, took his overall haul to 411 runs at 41.10 and lifted him three places to fifth, now sitting just behind Joe Root, Harry Brook, Kane Williamson and Steven Smith.
Former India assistant coach Sanjay Bangar believes the 22-year-old’s progress is no flash in the pan. “Jaiswal’s Sehwag-esque impact makes it easier for batters to follow,” Bangar told host broadcaster Star Sports, before adding, “Jaiswal can be a prolific batter for India across formats.” Time will tell, but the early signs look promising.
India’s seamers also enjoyed a rankings bump. Mohammed Siraj’s five-for in south London propelled him 12 spots to 15th, a career best, while Prasidh Krishna’s lively spells moved him 25 rungs to 59th. Their personal tallies now stand at 674 and 368 rating points respectively, each a high-water mark.
Across the dressing rooms England’s Gus Atkinson has broken the glass ceiling, crashing into joint-tenth alongside Mitchell Starc after sharing eight wickets with fellow quick Josh Tongue. The latter climbed 14 places to 46th, further proof of England’s growing pace depth.
New Zealand’s short visit to Zimbabwe also shifted the numbers. Daryl Mitchell’s steady contributions – 81 and 43 in Harare – nudged the all-rounder four spots to ninth among batters. The real surge, though, belonged to Matt Henry. A match haul of 9 for 90 in the opening Test saw him jump three places to fourth on the bowling list, only Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada and Ravichandran Ashwin now ahead.
For Zimbabwe the defeat stung, but there were small wins. Left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza crept into the top 60 for the first time, a modest reward for his control on flat pitches.
Rankings will shuffle again when the second Test in Bulawayo concludes later this week and when England and India resume hostilities in Hyderabad come November. For now, Jaiswal, Atkinson and Henry can enjoy the view from their new perches, aware that form – and ranking points – seldom stay still for long.
