Joe Root Reclaims No. 1 Test Ranking After Strong West Indies Showing
Joe Root has reclaimed his throne as the world’s top-ranked Test batter after a long wait. He dethroned Kane Williamson after a dominant performance in the recent series against the West Indies which also saw him crossing 12,000 runs in test cricket career.
The former England captain’s resurgence sees him return to a position he first occupied in August 2015.
Root’s series haul of 291 runs, including a crucial century, was instrumental in England’s series victory. His efforts have propelled him back to the pinnacle of Test batting, while Williamson drops to the second spot who hasn’t played test cricket in last 6 months.
The consistent Babar Azam and Daryl Mitchell share the third position, followed by Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma in fourth and fifth respectively. Harry Brook’s recent dip in form has seen him slip to seventh.
England’s Bowling Attack Also Rises in Rankings
England’s bowling attack also made significant strides. Ben Stokes’ promotion to the opening slot earned him a four-place jump to 30th in the batting rankings. Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson climbed the bowling charts, with Wood reaching 20th and Atkinson securing 46th position.
Jayden Seales was the standout performer for the West Indies, his impressive haul of 13 wickets lifting him seven places to a career-best ranking of joint-26th.
In the all-rounder rankings, Stokes and Chris Woakes continued their upward trajectory, while India’s Ravindra Jadeja maintained his dominant position at the top.
Meanwhile, the Indian white-ball brigade made their presence felt in the T20I rankings. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill registered impressive gains, with Gill’s rise of 16 places to 21st being particularly noteworthy.
The changing landscape of Test cricket, with new faces emerging and established stars reclaiming their positions, promises an exciting period for the game. As teams compete for the ICC World Test Championship, the battle for the top rankings is set to intensify.
