Star Pakistani batter Babar Azam has slipped from the 6th to the 8th position in the ICC Test rankings for batters.
This decline follows a lackluster showing in the just finished Australia series, where Azam struggled to establish himself and finished with only one fifty in his six innings of action.
The former captain of Pakistan was unable to establish a rhythm against the strong bowling attack of Australia, scoring only 126 runs. Due to this decline in performance, Azam has lost significant ground in the ICC Test batting rankings, underscoring the difficulties he encountered throughout the Australian series.
On the other hand, India’s illustrious batter Virat Kohli propelled to the 6th position, thanks to a stellar performance during India’s tour of South Africa. His exemplary innings, including scores of 38, 76, and a match-winning 46, underscored his dominance and marked a significant ascent in the ICC Test batting rankings.
Meanwhile, an impressive 88-run innings by Mohammad Rizwan in the first innings of the Sydney Test translated into a noteworthy ascent of 10 spots for him, firmly securing the 17th rank with a total of 668 rating points. On the other hand, Saud Shakeel experienced a descent, moving down to the 14th position with 693 rating points.
With scores of 60 and an undefeated 62, Marnus Labuschagne demonstrated his skill and made a three-place move to take fourth place with 802 rating points.
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson held onto his narrow lead at the top of the batting order with an outstanding 864 points, closely followed by Joe Root with 859. With 818 points overall, Australia’s Steve Smith cemented himself in third place.
Shifting the focus to the bowling department, Aamer Jamal made a resounding impact in his debut series. His exceptional six-wicket haul during the Sydney Test propelled him 12 spots higher in the rankings, settling him at the 45th position with a total of 432 points.
Shaheen Afridi, the captain of Pakistan’s bowling team, finished in 12th place with 733 points, while India’s best bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin, continued to rule the bowling rankings with an astounding 863 points.
