Kane Williamson has become the new No.1 Test batter in the latest ICC men’s rankings, just one rating point ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith.
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New Zealand’s Williamson has regained his place at the top of the rankings for the first time since June 2021 after Joe Root slid down from the top spot following a quiet Lord’s Ashes Test. Williamson has not played a Test since March 2023, which was only his eighth appearance in the format since the start of 2022.
Smith has risen four places and is second on the list currently, with 882 rating points, one behind Williamson. The former Australia skipper made his 32nd hundred in Tests at Lord’s, striking 110 in the first innings to set up the win for his team. He will play his 100th Test match at Headingley this week.
Only 21 rating points separate the top six batters, with Babar Azam at No.6, with 862 points. Three Australians occupy positions in the top four, with Smith closely followed by Marnus Labuschagne at No.3 (873 rating points) and Travis Head a rung below, with 872 points. Usman Khawaja, at No.7, is the other Australian in the top ten.
Root is the only England batter in the top ten, at No.5 with 866 points. Ben Duckett has achieved his career-best, rising up 24 places to No.18 after scores of 98 and 83 at Lord’s. Ben Stokes, who made 155 in the second Test, is up nine places to 23rd.
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In the bowler’s list, R Ashwin continues holding onto the number one spot, but Pat Cummins closely follows him at second, with 826 points. His rise has meant that England quick James Anderson, who has admitted to not being at his best in the series, drops down to fourth. Josh Tongue is a massive beneficiary after his impressive showing in the previous Test, as he jumped 27 places to 59th.
ICC Men’s Test batting rankings:
Kane Williamson – 883
Steve Smith – 882
Marnus Labuschagne – 873
Travis Head – 872
Joe Root – 866 points
Babar Azam – 862
Usman Khawaja – 847
Daryl Mitchell – 792
Dimuth Karunaratne – 780
Rishabh Pant – 758
ICC Men’s Test bowling rankings:
R Ashwin – 860 points
Pat Cummins – 826
Kagiso Rabada – 825
James Anderson – 813
Ollie Robinson – 803
Shaheen Shah Afridi – 787
Nathan Lyon – 783
Jasprit Bumrah – 772
Ravindra Jadeja – 765
Stuart Broad – 764
