Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has achieved a career-best rating in the latest ICC Men’s Test Rankings, following his twin centuries in the opening Test of the ongoing series against England, according to the ICC website. The 27-year-old showcased his skill with innings of 134 and 118 as India suffered a five-wicket loss, moving up one spot to sixth overall on the Test batters rankings. This is just one spot shy of his career-high ranking of five held during the corresponding period in 2022. Pant’s overall rating of 801 points is a new personal best, placing him within 88 points of the No. 1-ranked batter Joe Root.
Root maintains his narrow lead at the top after scoring 28 and 53 not out during the Headingley contest, with teammate and No. 2-ranked batter Harry Brook trailing by 15 rating points. England opener Ben Duckett has also reached a new career-high rating in eighth place on the batter rankings, following his match-winning innings of 149 in the second innings of the Leeds Test. There are further movements within the top 20 after the completion of two other Test matches around the world.
Australia defeated the West Indies by 159 runs in the opening Test in Barbados, with left-hander Travis Head gaining three places to move to 10th overall on the list for Test batters after scoring a pair of half-centuries during the contest at Kensington Oval. Sri Lanka clinched a significant victory over Bangladesh in Colombo, with Pathum Nissanka rising 14 places to 17th overall for Test batters after his innings of 158. Sri Lankan teammate Kusal Mendis gains four places to 30th, while promising South African youngster Lhuan-dre Pretorius enters the batter rankings at 68th following his century against Zimbabwe.
