logo
ICC Test rankings: Harry Brook overtakes Joe Root to become premier Test batter in the world

ICC Test rankings: Harry Brook overtakes Joe Root to become premier Test batter in the world

Express Tribune4 days ago
In a major shake-up at the top of the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, England's Harry Brook has reclaimed the No. 1 spot, dethroning teammate Joe Root after an outstanding performance in the second Test against India in Birmingham.
Brook's magnificent 158-run innings in the first innings helped propel him to the top, leaving Root in second place, 18 rating points adrift.
The Edgbaston Test also saw a strong rise for India's Shubman Gill, who made significant strides in the rankings.
The Indian captain moved up 15 places to secure a career-high sixth spot, following a brilliant 269 and 161 in the second Test, marking his first victory as captain.
Gill now finds himself just 79 rating points behind Brook, with only Root, Kane Williamson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Steve Smith ahead of him in the rankings.
England's Jamie Smith also enjoyed a remarkable rise, improving by 16 places to break into the top 10. Smith's stellar performances, with scores of 184 not out and 88, secured him the 10th position in the rankings.
In bowling, India's Jasprit Bumrah remains the top-ranked Test bowler despite missing the Birmingham Test due to workload management.
His compatriot, Mohammed Siraj, also climbed six places to 22nd after a solid performance against England. Meanwhile, West Indies' Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph both rose six spots, securing 29th and 31st positions, respectively.
Noman Ali remains the only Pakistani player to stay in top 10 of Test bowler rankings.
Shifting focus to the ODI rankings, Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka gained ground after leading his side to a 2-1 series victory over Bangladesh.
Asalanka moved up two places to secure sixth position among ODI batters, just behind the top-ranked Gill.
Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Mendis also saw a significant boost, rising 10 spots to 10th place following his Player of the Series performance against Bangladesh.
Babar Azam retains his No. 2 rank in ODI batters ranking.
With these changes, both the Test and ODI rankings are witnessing a fascinating shift, as new stars rise and established names continue to challenge for supremacy.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Babar, Rizwan face axe from T20s
Babar, Rizwan face axe from T20s

Express Tribune

time16 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Babar, Rizwan face axe from T20s

The careers of three major pillars of the Pakistani cricket team – Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan – appear to be hanging in the balance as they face selection dilemma for upcoming tours. Shaheen, Babar, and Rizwan – all once key members of the national team – are now being consistently overlooked, raising questions about the future of their international careers. Shaheen, 25, has seemingly fallen out of favor with selectors. After being left out of the home series against Bangladesh, he's now also been excluded from the return tour. Sources claim that selector Aaqib Javed cited Shaheen's underwhelming performance in New Zealand, saying he needs to correct his flaws. Ironically, Shaheen led Lahore Qalandars to a HBL Pakistan Super League title and was the tournament's top wicket-taker with 19 scalps. Aaqib had previously worked with him as part of the same franchise, though their relationship is now said to be strained. While vacationing in England with his family, Shaheen was called back by selectors, but was then left out of the squad without any prior notice. He reportedly found out through social media. Some media reports had suggested disciplinary issues as the reason for his omission, but a top PCB official refuted these claims, reiterating that the decision was based purely on cricketing grounds, and that the board had not issued any directive against his selection. "If there were disciplinary issues, he wouldn't have been invited to the training camp either," the official added. Regarding Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, sources reveal that there is currently no plan to include them in the T20 squad. Coach Mike Hesson has already advised both players that they must adapt their playing approach in the shorter format and show some intent if they hope to make a comeback. Shaheen, Shadab Khan, and Salman Ali Agha are reportedly part of Mike Hesson's "core team", but will be rested periodically as part of a rotation policy. Shaheen might still be in contention for the upcoming West Indies tour, while Babar and Rizwan may be considered for the ODI squad. It's worth noting that Shadab is currently sidelined due to surgery, and the PCB is still in discussions to convert all three ODIs against the West Indies into T20 matches. If that happens, Babar and Rizwan's return could be delayed even further. Recently, in a media briefing, Coach Hesson said that Shaheen needs to improve his performance. He also dismissed rumors suggesting he had asked Babar Azam to take on wicketkeeping duties to re-enter the team. According to sources, these rumors were likely spread by "social media warriors" trying to drum up public support for the sidelined players. Pakistan Shaheens squad named for Eng tour The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced an 18-member squad for the Pakistan Shaheens' upcoming multi-format tour of England, scheduled to begin later this month. The tour will run from July 17 to August 6. Left-handed batter Saud Shakeel has been named captain and will lead a team that includes three other Test players: fast bowler Musa Khan, left-arm pacer Mir Hamza, and off-spinner Sajid Khan. The squad also features 14 emerging players, 11 of whom are under the age of 25. Among them are the top scorers from the most recent Quaid-e-Azam Trophy - Azan Awais and Maaz Sadaqat - along with Ali Zaryab, Haider Ali, Mohammad Suleman, Omair Bin Yousuf, and Shamyl Hussain, who strengthen the batting lineup. Rohail Nazir will serve as the wicketkeeper for the tour. The pace attack includes Mushtaq Ahmed, Shahid Aziz, and Ubaid Shah, while the spin department will be led by Sajid Khan, with support from Faisal Akram, Mehran Mumtaz, and Mubasir Khan. The team will assemble for a training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi before flying out to England on July 16. The final schedule and venues for the matches will be shared by the PCB in due course. Pakistan Shaheens squad: Saud Shakeel (captain), Ali Zaryab, Azan Awais, Faisal Akram, Haider Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Suleman, Mubasir Khan, Musa Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Shahid Aziz, Shamyl Hussain, Ubaid Shah.

Pak reach U-18 Asia Cup hockey final
Pak reach U-18 Asia Cup hockey final

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Pak reach U-18 Asia Cup hockey final

Pakistan players sing their national anthem ahead of their Men's U-18 Hockey Asia Cup 2025 semifinal against Malaysia at the Dazhou National Hockey Training Centre in Dazhou on Friday. photo: afp Pakistan have advanced to the final of the Men's U18 Asia Cup 2025 following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Malaysia in the semifinal at the National Hockey Training Centre in Dazhou, China, on Friday. The tightly contested match concluded in a shootout after both teams remained deadlocked during regular play. In a tense finish, the Green Shirts held their nerve to secure a 4-3 win in the penalty shootout. Pakistan capitalised on the pressure, with Malaysia missing two crucial attempts during the decisive shootout, while the Green Shirts only failed to score once. The victory caps a remarkable run for the young Pakistani squad, which has shown exceptional form throughout the tournament. They began their campaign with a resounding 8-0 win over Hong Kong, followed by a crushing 9-0 victory against Sri Lanka. In their third match, they defeated Bangladesh 6-3, virtually securing a place in the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, Pakistan outclassed China 2-1 in a commanding performance to seal a place among the final four. It is pertinent to mention that the Green Shirts will face Japan in the grand finale of the tournament on Sunday at the same venue. Pak beat China in quarter-final Earlier, continuing their unbeaten run in the U-18 Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan secured a commanding 2-1 victory over China to qualify for the semi-finals. The Green Shirts got off to a flying start to the high-stakes clash as Hassan Shahbaz netted the opener in just the 11th minute through a field goal. The scoreline remained intact at 1-0 until halftime despite four penalties shared between the two teams in an eventful second quarter. The goal drought eventually culminated late in the third quarter when Ali Hanzala doubled Pakistan's lead through another well-executed field goal. China, however, were quick to pull one back as Jiaxing Lin converted a penalty corner in the same minute. The hosts then made several efforts to net the equaliser but Pakistan goalkeeper Ghulam Mustafa denied them any chance of forcing their way back into the game, ensuring the scoreline remained intact at 2-1. The victory extended Pakistan's unbeaten run to four matches as they topped Group A standings with 12 points and a goal difference of 21, scoring 25, while conceding only four. The Green Shirts will face Malaysia in the semi-final, scheduled to be played at the same venue on Friday. Pakistan started their Men's U18 Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a ruthless 8-0 victory over Hong Kong before routing Sri Lanka 9-0. They then faced Bangladesh in their third match and prevailed 6-3, which had put them within touching distance of semi-final qualification. Squad: Mohammad Usman, Atif Ali, Asam Junaid, Mohammad Abdullah Farooq, Abdullah Awan, Zubair Lateef, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Ali Taj, Ghulam Mustafa, Ali Hamza, Ali Hamzad, Aamir Sohail, Adeel Afzal, Mohammad Zaman, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Shaheer, Hasan Shahbaz, Yaseen Jamshaid Team Management: Shafqat Malik (Manager), Mukhtar Ahmed, Touseeq Ahmed, Masood-ur-Rahman (Coaches).

Pak set to bar hockey team from India events
Pak set to bar hockey team from India events

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Pak set to bar hockey team from India events

The Pakistan government is likely to reject a request from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to allow the national team to compete in two major hockey events in India, citing escalating political tensions between the two countries. Pakistan is scheduled to participate in the Asia Cup, set to be held in Rajgir, India, from 27 August to 7 September. The PHF has formally sought clearance from the government to send the squad. Later this year, Pakistan is also due to compete in the FIH (International Hockey Federation) Junior World Cup, scheduled for November in Chennai. However, sources said the Shahbaz Sharif-led coalition government is unlikely to grant permission. A senior official told Telecom Asia Sport ( "There is no chance the Sharif-led government will allow the national hockey team to travel in this geo-political situation." According to sources, members of the coalition government believe it would be unsafe to send the team after the recent military flare-up between the neighbours Sources indicated that if the government declines permission, the PHF plans to formally request the FIH and Asian Hockey Federation to relocate both events to a neutral venue such as Malaysia or Oman. The official said: "PHF will try to get the events out of India, but there are very slim chances of that happening because Malaysia and Oman do not have the funds to bid for the tournaments, which require close to 100,000 dollars. Pakistan last toured India in 2023 for the Asian Champions Trophy, finishing fifth among six teams, with India winning the title. No security incidents were reported during that tournament. Reports from India have suggested that their sports ministry was prepared to grant Pakistan permission to participate, and Hockey India confirmed it already had approvals from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Ministry. But ever since these reports surfaced, sections of the Indian media have launched scathing criticism of the clearance, fueling serious apprehension within Pakistan's sporting circles.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store