Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has ascended to the second position in the latest ICC ODI rankings, closing the gap on Pakistan’s Babar Azam, who continues to dominate the list. Rohit’s rise in the rankings comes after a stellar performance in the recent series against Sri Lanka, where he accumulated a series-topping 157 runs. This impressive showing enabled Rohit to surpass his compatriot Shubman Gill in the rankings, intensifying the competition at the top of the ODI batting chart.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka also made significant strides, climbing to eighth place after scoring 101 runs in the same series. Nissanka’s progress highlights his growing influence in international cricket, especially after Sri Lanka broke a 27-year jinx by defeating India in an ODI series for the first time since 1997.
Other Sri Lankan players also saw upward movement in the rankings. Kusal Mendis made a notable jump, moving up five spots to share the 39th position, while Avishka Fernando climbed 20 places to settle at 68th. These shifts reflect the strong performances by the Sri Lankan team during the series.
The ODI rankings also saw changes beyond the Indian subcontinent. Netherlands’ aggressive opener Max O’Dowd advanced 10 places to reach 54th, while USA’s Monank Patel moved up 11 spots to 56th. In the bowling department, USA’s Nosthush Kenjige climbed to 49th place, and Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage made a significant leap, moving up 17 places to 59th.
In the Test cricket arena, recent performances in the drawn match between South Africa and the West Indies in Trinidad have also led to reshuffles in the ICC rankings. South African skipper Temba Bavuma achieved a career-high ranking, moving up two places to 16th among Test batters after scoring 86 and an unbeaten 15 in the match. Opener Tony de Zorzi also made a substantial gain, soaring 29 places to 85th, courtesy of his first-innings knock of 78.
For the West Indies, Jason Holder climbed three spots to 67th, while Alick Athanaze rose 12 places to 76th in the Test batting rankings. Among the bowlers, South African spinner Keshav Maharaj was the standout, moving up seven places to joint 21st after his match-winning eight-wicket haul, which earned him the Player of the Match award.
West Indian spinner Jomel Warrican also impressed, rising 12 places to 54th in the Test bowling rankings after claiming six wickets in the match, marking a new career-best rating for him. These movements highlight the dynamic nature of the ICC rankings as players from around the world continue to showcase their talents on the international stage.
