Babar Azam REACHES career-best position in Test batters rankings, CHECK HERE

ICC Men`s Test Batting Rankings: Babar Azam takes huge jump in rankings after twin half-centuries vs England in the third Test, read more

Pakistan captain Babar Azam may not have had a fruitful results in the three-match Tests vs England at home, but he has surely gained big individually. We are talking about the latest ICC Men's Test Batters ranking on which Babar has reached the second position, which is his career-best achievement. This result of his two brilliant half centuries in the third Test vs England at Karachi. Babar has overtaken Steve Smith to the second spot thanks to his 78 and 54 run knocks respectivelt scored in the third Test. Babar is now behind Australia's Marnus Labuschagne in the rankings, trailing by 61 points. Not to forget, Babar is ranked first in ODI rankings and fourth in the T20Is respectively.

In the latest weekly update that also takes into account performances in the first Test of the WTC series between Bangladesh and India in Chattogram, Cheteshwar Pujara’s knocks of 90 and 102 not out have lifted him 10 positions to 16th while Shreyas Iyer (up 11 places to 26th) and Shubman Gill (up 10 places to 54th) have also gained after some fine performances in the match.

England captain Ben Stokes (up places to 23rd), South Africa’s Temba Bavuma (up eight places to 24th) and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (up four places to 37th) are some others to move up the batters’ list. England’s Harry Brook is in the top 50 for the first time after scoring centuries in all three Tests in Pakistan.

In the bowlers’ rankings, South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada has gained four spots to reach third position after grabbing four wickets in each innings at Gabba. Rabada, a formerly top-ranked bowler, was third in August this year before slipping down the table. 

India spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel have made rapid progress after helping win the Chattogram Test. Yadav’s Player of the Match effort of eight for 113 has lifted him 19 places to 49th while Patel’s five scalps in the match see him jump 10 places to a career-best 18th position.