ICC Men's ODI Rankings: Shubman Gill Surpasses Babar to Claim Top Spot as the World's Best Batsman, with Mohammed Siraj Leading as the Number One Bowler

ICC Men’s ODI Rankings: Four years ago, a promising young Indian batsman made his debut against the formidable New Zealand bowling attack in Hamilton, offering fans a tantalizing glimpse of his future potential. The anticipation surrounding him was so immense that even the great Virat Kohli endorsed his prodigious talent as “ten times” greater than his own when he was 19.

Dominance in the ODI Rankings

Although Shubman Gill’s inaugural ODI innings didn’t quite meet the lofty expectations, it served as a preview of his eventual batting mastery in the years to come. Fast forward to November 8, 2023, Gill accomplished a remarkable feat, ascending to the World No.1 ranking in just 41 innings in his career, a feat surpassed only by the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

On the other hand, Indian pace sensation Mohammed Siraj has once again ascended to the pinnacle of the rankings, with a rating of 709. This marks his third stint as the top-ranked bowler. He initially claimed the top spot between January and March 2023 but temporarily surrendered it to Josh Hazlewood.

However, Siraj’s exceptional performance in the Asia Cup, where he secured ten wickets with an impressive average of 12.20, propelled him up the rankings by eight positions, restoring him to the summit. Most recently, the Hyderabad prodigy overtook Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi to reclaim his crown.

Babar Azam’s reign as the top-ranked batter endured an impressive 950 days, and it took a remarkable year of exceptional form for Shubman to finally dethrone the Pakistani captain. As of now, the Indian opener boasts a six-point lead over Babar, with a rating of 830 to Babar’s 824.

Gill’s ascent to the summit was powered by his outstanding performance in India’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign. Notably, he becomes only the fourth Indian player to hold the coveted No.1 ODI batter ranking, joining the elite company of Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli.

Gill’s meteoric rise to the top can be attributed to his exceptional form in 2023, accumulating an impressive 1449 runs in 26 innings during the calendar year, including 219 runs from six innings in the ODI World Cup 2023.

See Also:Anamul Haque to Step in as Replacement for Injured Bangladesh Skipper Shakib Al Hasan in World Cup 2023

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli’s exceptional showing in the World Cup propelled him three positions up the rankings, placing him just one rating point away from South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, who currently holds the third spot. Notably, Indian captain Rohit Sharma secured the sixth position in the latest rankings.

The bowling rankings also feature a strong Indian presence, with Kuldeep Yadav climbing three places to secure the fourth position, Jasprit Bumrah advancing three spots to claim the eighth position, and Mohammed Shami surging seven places to comfortably settle in the 10th position.

Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh, continues to maintain his status as the No.1 ranked all-rounder. Additionally, Team India retains its commanding position at the top of the rankings, a testament to their consistent excellence.