Cricket Rankings: Australia middle-order batter Marnus Labuschagne has climbed to the top of the ICC Test Player Rankings for batters, surpassing Joe Root, who has slipped to the second spot. This is for the first time that the Aussie batter has overtaken the No.1 position, courtesy of his phenomenal performances in the two Test matches of the Ashes 2021-22 so far.
Labuschagne has accumulated 912 rating points, his career-best so far, surpassing the England skipper by 15 points. Labuschagne was placed in the fourth spot before the commencement of the series. He climbed up two spots to claim the No. 2 ranking after smashing 74 that helped Australia seal victory in the first Test of the Ashes in Brisbane. He registered 103 and 51 runs in the Australian innings during the second Test, which the hosts won to take a 2-0 series lead.
Another major gainer in the ICC cricket rankings is Labuschagne’s compatriot Mitchell Starc, who made it into the top 10 for Test bowlers after returning figures of 6/80 in the second Test of the Ashes and has acquired the 9th spot in the rankings. His spells included four-for in the first innings that helped reduce England to 236.
Starc gave an all-around performance, giving a dependable performance with the bat as well. He scored 39* and 19, which helped him leapfrog to No.6 in the Test all-rounders’ ranking.
From the England team, captain Joe Root recorded his career-best rating in the rankings for all-rounders after scoring 86 runs and picking three wickets in the second Test, which helped him rise two spots to No.10.
In the T20I Player Rankings, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has placed himself atop the batter rankings, jointly sharing the rank with Dawid Malan. He registered a brilliant 79 in the final T20I that helped Pakistan seal a comprehensive series win over West Indies.
Mohammad Rizwan also made some gains. He has claimed the No.3 in T20I batters’ rankings with career-best ratings of 798. Rizwan was adjudged the Player of the Match in the final T20I against West Indies after he led his side to a successful chase of 208 in within 19 overs with a 45-ball 87 knock.
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