Babar Azam‘s lead in the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings for batters is narrowing as Shubman Gill continues to make significant progress in the latest update.
The Indian batter showcased exceptional form in the first two matches of India’s ODI series against Australia, amassing 178 runs in the first two games.
Shubman Gill just 10 points short from Babar Azam
During the series opener in Mohali, Gill played a rapid innings of 74, and he followed that up with his sixth ODI century of his career in Indore. This outstanding performance has propelled him to a career-high rating in the updated list for ODI batters, now totalling 847 rating points. He is just 10 rating points behind Pakistan’s skipper, setting up an exciting competition for the top spot as the sides approach the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 beginning on October 5.
In addition to Gill’s impressive rise, Indian batters Shreyas Iyer (up eight places to 30th) and KL Rahul (up six spots to 33rd) have also shown improvements in ODI rankings due to their strong performances against Australia.
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Meanwhile, South Africa’s hard-hitter Rassie van der Dussen occupied the third position in the batter rankings, with a rating of 743 points, which is more than 100 behind the top two.
Mohammed Siraj dominates bowling chart
In the bowlers’ rankings, Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj maintained his lead following his exceptional six-wicket haul during the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Siraj holds an 11-point advantage over Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, even though he hasn’t participated in the ODI series against Australia.
Notably, the top 10 players in the ODI bowler rankings are closely packed, with just 55 rating points separating each other.
Aussie spinner Adam Zampa has moved up one spot to seventh after a productive show in the initial two matches against India.
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami (up nine spots to share 25th place) and Australia’s Sean Abbott (up 14 places to share 45th place) have also made notable advancements in the latest ICC rankings.