I was really surprised with new IMF Test rankings list. There is a big rise of England’s Harry Brook to the fourth position. The other new comer to feature in the top 10 is Mohammad Rizwan. On other hand, Babar Azam has fallen six places down and is now ranked at ninth position. These changes clearly indicate the fact that Test cricket involves a lot of transformations.
Brook’s Rise to Fourth Place
Harry Brook looks quite good at bat. He took the scores of 56 and 32 on Sri Lankan tour at Old Trafford, Manchester very effectively. It’s good to note that Brook has been very consistent to climb three positions to the fourth position. This brings him on the level of highly ranked cricketers such as Babar Azam of Pakistan and Steven Smith of Australia.
Due to Brook being selected to play for England, it can be seen that he is gaining significance in that team’s squad. Something that I admire about him is sheer firepower he has when it comes to working under pressure. Kirsty Brookes impressive contribution has laid foundation for England to beat Australia and take a 1-0 lead on the series. This increase of the ranking is clearly explained by his efforts, professionalism and commitment.
Joe Root Retains Top Spot
However, it is necessary to note that Brook has risen to new heights while Joe Root has retained his position on the top. A position on the list that Root has maintained is the one as the world’s leading Test batsman. He has done so well in his form thus keeps him ahead of his colleagues. Root is considered an example of an experienced and skilled player, who is necessary for the England’s batting list.
And that is why Root is dominating these rankings. He is one of the consistent performers of the English team for the past few years. This makes him special as he will always get those runs regardless of the weather. Now, Root’s ability to anchor himself down for long periods of time is essential for the England team.
Babar Azam’s Unexpected Drop
This change can be explained in detail where Babar Azam have dropped to ninth place. The on-going performers of Pakistan are their captain who has not been playing up to the mark of expectation recently. His golden duck and another 22 in the Bangladesh match were expensive. Livid over Pakistan’s first ever Test loss to Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, things went from bad to worse for Moin.
This is true as Babar’s performance has reduced over the recent games and has consequently seen a decrease in his rankings. He has not been very stable in the recent matches played by him. This fall is one thing that everybody knows that even the best can have hardships. But the good part is that Babar has the capacity to come back into the game immediately.
Rizwan’s Entry into the Top 10
Compared to the time Babar was struggling Mohammad Rizwan has progressed a lot. Among all players for Rawalpindi, Rizwan scored a brilliant fifty-one and unleashed his beast by scoring one hundred and seventy-one not out. This has moved him seven places to joint 10th, based on the performances of his performances. Rizwan shines in the Pakistan which becomes a ray of hope in such a tuff series.
This is a deserving entry from Rizwan to the list of top 10. He has proved himself as one of the regular and reliable players for Pakistan team through his consistency and hard work. Rizwan’s virtue of steadying the ship during crunch situations can be said to be priceless. It’s good to see him climbing the ladder and it is beneficial for Pakistan cricket.
Saud Shakeel’s Steady Climb
Saud Shakeel also going well, he is still improving his performance. A century in Rawalpindi boosted Shakeel up one place to 13 in the latest ranking done today. He has always come up with such brilliant performances which have been very much essential for Pakistan. This progression in the T20I rankings means that Shakeel has become a more valuable middle-orderring batsman for his national team.
The progress which Shakeel has made is a positve omen for Pakistan’s future. His capacity of making a run even in a difficult time is outstanding. It equally shows that Shakeel has the prospects of being in the top 15.
Mushfiqur Rahim’s Career-High Ranking
This will be Mushfiqur Rahim personal best in terms of ranking. His innings of 191 against Pakistan also helped the Bangladeshi team win their first Test on Jan 18, 2005. The 17th ranked Test batter according to this rating is Rahim who was improved seven places compared with his previous ranking.
It is my considered opinion that Rahim has advanced and become more skilled which builds his ladder of promotion. He has been doing well for Bangladesh on regular basis. I have also found out that Rahim is always able to come good and scoring important runs for the Bangladeshi team. This puts him at one of the highest ranking in his career which is a deserving feat.
Prabath Jayasuriya’s Impact on Bowling Rankings
It also shows how Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya has brought a big change in the bowling rankings. Jayasuriya improved his rankings gaining one place and finished the rankings of Test bowlers in ninth place. This was composed by his five wickets achievement in Manchester is important for Sri Lanka team.
The recently emergence of Jayasuriya proves that he is one of the most successful spinners . His bowling actions under pressure have really been a plus for Sri Lanka since they reap big in terms of wickets. Jayasuriya deserves it to make it to the top 10 list.
Chris Woakes’ Allround Impact
Chris Woakes has also been improving his ICC rankings too. Woakes even surged one place up the Test allrounders list and ranked eighth. He also improved his ranking in the bowlers’ lists, and with 6 for 90 in the match he is placed 16th now.
About Woakes, I would like to note that he is an important asset for the team both as a batsman and a bowler. His fairly aptitudes make him a crucial participant for his English team. It was very encouraging to see the consistency with which Woakes performed that clearly showed in the new ranking he has attained. His form will be instrumental in England come many of the upcoming tests.
Pooran’s Rise in T20I Rankings
There are also improvements on the ICC rankings as Nicholas Pooran improves as well. Pooran also gain three places and ranked at nineth among T20I batsmen. He has been in excellent performance in the series of matches played against the South Africa.
This is a revelation of Pooran’s fairly aggressive style of batting. He has also feature for Windies in T20 International cricket format. That’s why it is possible to recognize Pooran as the uncertain batsman and at the same time dangerous.” This is may be positive signals for the West Indies cricket team and he has improved his rankings in the latest rankings.
Hosein and Motie’s Bowling Success
Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie have also improved their rankings in the shortest format, T20I. Hosein is currently placed at the tournament’s bowling ranking for T20I, second in the list while Motie is just behind her in the third spot. They were instrumental to West Indies’ eventual victory over the South Africans.
Thus, the increase in the ranking of Hosein and Motie is proof of the increase in the subjects’ influence. Their capability to take wickets has been paramount for West Indies side being a force to reckon with in the cricket fraternity. All three belong to the top most places rightly so.
Conclusion
Now with the latest ICC rankings there are many changes that have been made that are interesting. There are some positives to reflect on from this series in terms of individual performance, which include Harry Brook moving up into fourth among Test batters and Mohammad Rizwan entering into top 10. However, the fact that Babar Azam gets down to the ninth place seems rather shocking, though he has all it takes to bounce back. Some new players like Saud Shakeel, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nicholas Pooran are the new talents which have entered in world cricket. These rankings are not fixed by any means and these are the conditions which are usually in the higher tiers of the game.
FAQs
- How did Harry Brook rise to fourth place in the ICC Test rankings?
It was Brook’s consistencies from the ranks which placed him in the fourth position, largely due to his scores against Sri Lanka. - Why did Babar Azam drop six places in the rankings?
Unfortunate performance against Bangladesh can be held responsible for Babar Azam’s drop in the rankings list. - Who are the current top three Test batters in the ICC rankings?
As it relates, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, and Daryl Mitchell are in the top three places. - How did Mohammad Rizwan enter the top 10 Test batters?
Such a performance in Rawalpindi allowed Rizwan enter the top 10. - Which West Indies players made gains in the T20I rankings?
For the T20I format, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, and Gudakesh Motie got new positions greatly improved.
