Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, edging past his England teammate Harry Brook after a standout performance in the Lord’s Test against India. Root struck a masterful 104 in the first innings and followed it up with a crucial 40 in the second, helping England secure a tense 22-run victory.
Brook, who had briefly held the No. 1 ranking, slipped to third following scores of just 11 and 23, with New Zealand’s Kane Williamson moving up to second place.
The reshuffle at the top wasn’t the only movement in the rankings after the gripping Test at Lord’s. India captain Shubman Gill endured a rare failure, dropping from No. 6 to No. 9 following underwhelming scores in both innings.
Rishabh Pant, despite a fluent 74 in the first innings, also slipped a place to No. 8. On the brighter side for India, KL Rahul, who scored a gritty century in the first innings, and Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed fifties in both innings including a valiant unbeaten 61, were rewarded with jumps of five places each — Rahul to No. 35 and Jadeja to No. 34.
Elsewhere, Australia’s Steven Smith leapfrogged India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal into fourth position after a solid 48 in the opening innings of the day-night Test against the West Indies in Jamaica. Jaiswal, who had previously impressed against England, recorded scores of 13 and 0 — the first time he failed to pass fifty in a Test against England — and slipped down the order.
On the bowling front, India’s Jasprit Bumrah retained his place at the top after a five-wicket haul at Lord’s. Meanwhile, Australia’s Scott Boland surged six places to No. 6 after a game-changing performance that included a hat-trick in the second innings against the West Indies.
His teammate Mitchell Starc, who returned extraordinary figures of 6 for 9 to bowl the visitors out for just 27 in the fourth innings, stayed at No. 10 in the bowling rankings. However, Starc climbed two places in the allrounder rankings, which continues to be led by Jadeja, underlining the Indian star’s consistent all-round brilliance.
