Root scored his 30th Test ton in the first innings of the nervy Edgbaston Test match, and fell just short of a fifty in the second. His 118 not out and 46, while in vain, helped him rise up the ICC Men’s Test batter rankings. He jumped up five places to regain his spot as the No.1 batter after a year.

As a result, Marnus Labuschagne was dislodged from the top spot after six months. He had risen to No.1 after a strong showing in the Australian summer, but a below-par 2023, where he averages 36.63 in seven games, resulted in a slip to third place, below Kane Williamson of New Zealand. Labuschagne scored 0 and 13 at Edgbaston.

Only 26 rating points separate the top six Test batters, with Root on 887, and No.6 Steve Smith on 861. Travis Head slipped one place too, to fourth place, Babar Azam is fifth, but Smith fell four places.

Usman Khawaja, a teammate of Labuschagne, Smith, and Head, was adjudged the Player of the Match at Edgbaston for his knocks of 141 and 65. He has recorded a career-best rating of 836 to rise from ninth to seventh. Australia remain the No.1 Test side in the world, and are favourites to retain the Ashes with Betway after winning at Edgbaston.

There were hardly any changes in the bowler rankings, which continues to be headed by R Ashwin. Ollie Robinson rose up one place, to fifth, while Pat Cummins slipped one place to fourth.

ICC Men’s Test batting rankings:

Joe Root – 887 points
Kane Williamson – 883
Marnus Labuschagne – 877
Travis Head – 873
Babar Azam – 862
Steve Smith – 861
Usman Khawaja – 836
Daryl Mitchell – 792
Dimuth Karunaratne – 780
Rishabh Pant – 758

ICC Men’s Test bowling rankings:

R Ashwin – 860 points
James Anderson – 829
Kagiso Rabada – 825
Pat Cummins – 824
Ollie Robinson – 802
Nathan Lyon – 799
Shaheen Shah Afridi – 787
Jasprit Bumrah – 772
Ravindra Jadeja – 765
Stuart Broad – 765