In the most recent MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, Australia’s Travis Head has risen to a career-high second place, making him the latest challenger for the top spot.
The 29-year-old has scored a total of 266 runs at an average of 44.33 in the Ashes series against England, putting him in second position behind Kane Williamson, the veteran of New Zealand cricket.
Head’s contributions of 39 and 77 in the most recent Test of that series at Headingley were a significant factor in the visitors coming close to claiming a third consecutive Ashes victory.
As a result of Head’s ascent, there has been yet another reshuffle at the top of the batting rankings, with Pakistan captain Babar Azam jumping three places to third and fellow Australians Steve Smith (fourth) and Marnus Labuschagne (fifth) and England’s Joe Root (sixth) all dropping one position in what is an exciting race for the top spot.
There was plenty of positive news for England following their three-wicket victory in Leeds, with young star Harry Brook rising one spot to a career-high rating and 12th place in the rankings after his brilliant half-century in the second innings, and captain Ben Stokes rising five spots to 18th.
England’s seamers also enjoyed some success in the latest Test bowler rankings, with veteran right-armer Stuart Broad rising four places to sixth behind India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and returning pacer Mark Wood leaping nine places to 26th overall following his Player of the Match performance against the Australians.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc took seven wickets in that Headingley Test and was rewarded with a three-spot rise in the bowler rankings to eleventh overall.
The recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe resulted in modifications to the most recent ODI rankings. Sri Lanka’s unblemished run at the tournament earned them the title of champions and helped them qualify for the 50-over World Cup in India at the end of the year, so it came as no surprise that a slew of its finest cricketers was among the biggest beneficiaries.
