ICC batsmen ranking: Joe Root advances ahead of Virat Kohli; Rohit Sharma attains career-best ratings

International Cricket Council (ICC) batsman’s rankings are out for August and Joe Root has taken huge strides to capture the no. 2 spot in the rankings. The England captain’s form has been sensational this season. In 2021, Root has scored 1117 runs at an average of 62.05. On the other hand, Virat Kohli dropped one place from where he stood in July and sits at the no. 5 spot, while Rohit Sharma attained his career-best Test rankings.

↗️ Joe Root rises to No.2
↗️ Babar Azam moves up two spots

The latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings for batting ?

? https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/ERYzCGm9Pc

— ICC (@ICC) August 18, 2021

JOE ROOT ENJOYING HIMSELF

In the two Tests so far, Root has scored 64, 109, 180* and 33, with his series tally of 386 runs the highest by a distance. Root has leapfrogged over the Australian duo of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, who are third and fourth. The Indian trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant remain at five, six and seven.

KL Rahul made 129 in the first innings of the second Test. He jumped 19 spots and is now 37th in the batter’s rankings. Rahul has been India’s highest run-getter so far in the series.

VIRAT KOHLI YET TO FIRE

Virat Kohli’s form, of late, has been on the average side of things. He did not score a lot of runs in the first two Test matches in England. Thus, it might have acted catalyst in the Indian skipper losing some crucial points and sliding down the rankings. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma gave decent starts to India. Although he could not improve on his rank, he now has a rating of 773 which is his career-best. 

England are trailing 1-0 after defeat at Lord’s in the second Test of the five-match series. While Root has been their standout batter, James Anderson has been the home side’s best bowler, and has climbed one spot. He is now at No.6, behind Pat Cummins, R Ashwin, Tim Southee, Josh Hazlewood and Neil Wagner. Anderson has 800 rating points, just 10 behind Wagner. Anderson also moved past Anil Kumble’s tally of 619 on the list of highest wicket-takers in Test history during the the first Test.

BABAR AZAM AND JASON HOLDER MOVE UP

Another special mention is of Pakistan skipper, Babar Azam. He jumped two spots and found a place in the top 10 Test batsmen in the world currently. His form against the West Indies Test would be the reason for the player’s upliftment. 

James Anderson and Jason Holder make significant gains in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings for bowling ?

? https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/sTDH9Rr6In

— ICC (@ICC) August 18, 2021

Meanwhile, Jason Holder broke into the top ten of the bowling rankings, gaining two positions to be No.9. Holder’s good all-round returns – four wickets in the match and a fifty in the first innings – pushed him up the batting rankings too, up by five spots to be at 43.