In a major shake-up of the ODI rankings, Shubman Gill has emerged as the new No. 1 ODI batter, overtaking Babar Azam, while Mohammed Siraj has once again claimed the top spot in the bowling rankings.
The top of the bowling rankings now boasts an Indian-heavy lineup, with Kuldeep Yadav securing a place in the top five, and Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami both in the top ten. Meanwhile, after his exceptional performance at the World Cup, Virat Kohli has climbed three spots to No. 4 among the batters, trailing just one rating point behind Quinton de Kock, the leading run-scorer at the World Cup.
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Shubman Gill’s rise to the top of the ODI batting rankings is well-deserved, having enjoyed a stellar year in ODI cricket, amassing 1449 runs from 26 matches, including four centuries, including a double-century. His yearly average stands at an impressive 63.00, compared to his overall career average of 61.02. Although Gill started the World Cup slowly due to a bout of dengue, he has managed to score 219 runs in six innings, including half-centuries against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Babar Azam, while not performing poorly at the World Cup with four half-centuries in eight innings, faced stiff competition from Gill, leading to the change in rankings. Gill now joins the ranks of Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Kohli as the fourth Indian player to hold the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings.
In the World Cup, Glenn Maxwell’s sensational double century during the match between Australia and Afghanistan catapulted him two spots to sixth in the rankings. Additionally, Ibrahim Zadran, who also achieved a century in the World Cup, has risen six spots to 12th. Fakhar Zaman, another crucial batter for his team, is now at No. 11, moving up three spots.
India’s dominance at the World Cup is reflected in the rankings, with the team securing eight consecutive victories during the league stage. While Kohli (No. 2) and Rohit Sharma (No. 5) have been their standout batters, it’s the Indian bowling unit that has shone brightest. Although no Indian bowler is in the top three in the list of wicket-takers, bowlers like Shami, Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep, and Siraj have collectively contributed to India’s stellar bowling performances.
Mohammed Siraj, following impressive spells against Sri Lanka and South Africa, has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the bowling rankings. Shaheen Shah Afridi, the former No. 1, has now dropped to fifth place, with Keshav Maharaj and Adam Zampa moving up to second and third, respectively.
Among other Indian bowlers, Kuldeep is now at fourth place, Bumrah at eighth, and Shami at tenth in the bowling rankings. As for other top wicket-takers in the World Cup, Dilshan Madushanka has jumped 31 spots to 45th, and Marco Jansen has climbed nine positions to joint 24th in the rankings.