ICC Rankings: In the recently updated International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin held on to the top spot. This ranking update occurred despite Ashwin’s absence from the World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and Australia.
Meanwhile, Australian cricketer Travis Head has made a significant leap in the Test rankings. His performance was instrumental in Australia’s victory in the WTC final, which has boosted his standing. Consequently, the Australian team now boasts the top three positions in the batting rankings, a result of their triumphant win over India.
This remarkable achievement was largely due to the centuries scored by Head and Steve Smith in the final. Their performance steered Australia to a convincing 209-run victory over India at The Oval. Head, who was awarded Player of the Match for his blistering knock of 163 off 174 balls, has seen his ranking climb three places.
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ICC Rankings: Here are the latest changes
Joining Marnus Labuschagne and Smith in the top three, Head now holds the third spot with a rating of 884. Usman Khawaja, ranking ninth, is the fourth Australian in the top ten. This impressive domination mirrors the 1984 feat by West Indies players Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd, and Larry Gomes, who held the top three spots.
In the bowlers’ rankings, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has moved up two positions to share the sixth spot with England’s Ollie Robinson. Aussie pacer Scott Boland also made strides, ascending five places to rank 36th, putting him four spots ahead of India’s Mohammed Siraj.
Despite not being part of the playing XI, Ashwin retained his top spot with 860 points. On the batting front, Indian players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli maintained their positions, ranking 12th and 13th respectively. Additionally, veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane advanced to the 37th spot, while all-rounder Shardul Thakur rose to the 94th position in the Test batting rankings.
In conclusion, these latest rankings illustrate the dynamic shifts and turns that can occur in cricket. Each game can make or break a player’s standing, pushing them to consistently deliver their best performances.
