Mohammed Siraj has surpassed Trent Boult to become the world's No. 1 bowler in the men's ODI rankings for the first time after India swept New Zealand 3-0 at home.
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Mohammed Siraj has surpassed Trent Boult to become the world’s No. 1 bowler in the men’s ODI rankings for the first time after India swept New Zealand 3-0 at home. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has risen 20 to No. 6 on the batters’ rankings, one place above Virat Kohli, after scoring 360 runs in three One-Day Internationals against New Zealand, including a double-century and a century. Siraj finished third on the wicket-takers tally in the series against New Zealand, with five wickets in two games, trailing Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav, both of whom had six strikes.
But with the three games against Sri Lanka in the previous series included, he now has 14 wickets in five ODIs, surpassing Boult, who did not travel to India and last played ODI cricket in September last year. Boult is presently third, with Josh Hazlewood in second position. Gill has also been in excellent form, scoring 207 runs in three One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka in January, including a century and a half-century. Kohli has been in good shape, making a century against Sri Lanka and another against New Zealand.
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Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has risen two places to No. 8 in the batting rankings following his 85-ball 101 in the third ODI against New Zealand. Not only has Siraj’s form been impeccable over the last 12 months, but his efforts in the ODI series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand at home earlier this month demonstrated just how much the right arm has developed in recent times. In the middle of last year, India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey urged Siraj to focus on certain parts of his game, and the extra training the enthusiastic fast has put in has paid off in spades based on recent performances. Siraj grabbed nine wickets against Sri Lanka, making him the series’ highest wicket-taker.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has a comfortable lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings, but three Indian players are now in the top ten and vying for the highest honour. Shubman Gill, the in-form opener, moves a massive 20 places to sixth overall after a superb double century and a century against New Zealand at home. Gill moves ahead of veteran Virat Kohli to seventh, while Rohit vaults two spots to equal ninth after his quickfire century against the Kiwis in Indore. New Zealand was not overjoyed after losing the series to India 3-0 and losing their No. 1 ODI team position.
