Star Pakistani batsman Babar Azam has seen a significant drop in the ICC Men’s Test Batters Rankings, falling out of the top 10 for the first time in over four and a half years. Azam, who has been a prominent figure in international cricket, now holds the 12th position with 712 rating points, a drop of three places from his previous standing.
This decline in rankings comes as Azam has struggled with form in recent matches. Notably, he has not scored a half-century in his last 16 innings in Test cricket. His performance in the recent two-match Test series against Bangladesh was underwhelming, with only 64 runs across four innings at home.
Amidst this change, Mohammad Rizwan remains the only Pakistani batsman within the top 10, holding the 10th position. Rizwan’s consistent performances have kept him in the elite group, despite the overall struggle for Pakistani batters in the current rankings.
In addition to Rizwan, Saud Shakil is the third Pakistani batsman in the top 20, though he has dropped to the 20th spot from 13th. Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha has seen a positive rise, moving up nine spots to 31st from 40th.
In contrast, England’s Joe Root has surged to the top of the ICC Test Batters Rankings. Root’s remarkable performances, including back-to-back centuries in the second Test against Sri Lanka, have propelled him to the lead position with 922 rating points. This places him 63 rating points ahead of New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. Root is now only one rating point away from surpassing his previous career-best of 923, achieved in July 2022.
Root’s exceptional batting has also overshadowed other notable performances in the recent Test matches. Gus Atkinson, who was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance, has made significant gains, moving up 48 spots into the top 20 for All-Rounders and the top 30 for bowlers.
Sri Lanka also saw several of its players making strides in the rankings. Kamindu Mendis’s half-centuries elevated him by 11 places to 25th, while Asitha Fernando’s eight-wicket haul moved him into the top ten for the first time, securing the 8th position.
Bangladesh, fresh off a clean sweep series win over Pakistan, saw several of its players rising in the rankings. Litton Das’s crucial innings of 138 helped his team and saw him move up 12 places to 15th in the batting rankings. Mehedy Hasan Miraz, who contributed significantly with both bat and ball, ascended to 75th in the batting rankings and 7th in the all-rounders list.
On the bowling front, Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana have achieved career-best rankings, reflecting the positive impact of their performances in the series.
Overall, the latest ICC rankings highlight a period of transition and shifting fortunes among international cricketers, with notable performances influencing the standings and reshaping the rankings landscape.
