Joe Root has replaced Marnus Labuschagne as the new number one ranked Test batter in the world, according to the latest ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings. Labuschagne held the premier position for just over six months, but a slow start to 2023 and Root’s 30th Test century against Australia in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston caused a major shakeup at the top of the rankings. Root managed scores of 118 not out and 46 in a losing cause during the first Ashes Test. As a result, Labuschagne drops to third, with Kiwi veteran Kane Williamson jumping two places to second overall.
Travis Head and Steve Smith also lost ground in the race to become the number one Test batter. The top six players are now separated by just 26 rating points in one of the closest battles seen in recent times. Australia opener Usman Khawaja was the Player of the Match for his heroics against England, and the 36-year-old rose to a new career best rating and seventh place overall. Meanwhile, young gun Harry Brook also jumped five places to 13th on the latest Test rankings.
The updated rankings for bowlers saw India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin maintaining his lead over England veteran James Anderson, South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, and Australia captain Pat Cummins. In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood improved two places to third overall on the updated list for all-rounders, while USA pacer Saurabh Netravalkar jumps five places to 18th overall and a career high rating on the list for bowlers.
Ireland seamer Josh Little, UAE spinner Aayan Afzal Khan, Sri Lanka’s Kariyawasa Asalanka, Oman right-hander Aqib Ilyas Sulehri, and Zimbabwe veteran Sean Williams all made giant strides in their respective rankings. Overall, the latest rankings showed some major changes among the world’s top cricketers as they continue to compete at the highest level.
