Dubai: New Zealand’s star batsman Kane Williamson has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Players Rankings for batsmen, the ICC announced on Wednesday. Williamson’s impressive performances have propelled him back to the pinnacle of Test cricket.
Williamson’s rise to the top came at the expense of England captain Joe Root, who slipped to fifth after a disappointing series. Root’s scores of 10 and 18 in the recent matches saw him relinquish his hold on the top spot, allowing Williamson to regain his position. This marks the sixth time that Williamson has occupied the coveted number one spot since he first achieved it in November 2015.
Australian batsman Steve Smith, who was named the “Player of the Match” for his remarkable innings of 110 and 34, has surged to the second position in the rankings. Smith briefly held the top spot in June 2021 before being overtaken by Williamson. The race for the top positions is expected to intensify as Smith is now just one point behind Williamson’s rating of 883 points.
Meanwhile, England’s Ben Duckett has made a significant leap in the rankings, climbing 24 places to enter the top 20 for the first time in his career. Duckett’s impressive scores of 98 and 83 in the second Ashes Test earned him well-deserved recognition. His captain, Ben Stokes, also made notable progress, rising nine places to secure the 23rd position following his valiant 155 in the second inning.
In the bowling rankings, Australia’s Pat Cummins has climbed to the second position after a stellar performance, claiming four wickets in the match. Mitchell Starc, the left-arm fast bowler, has also made gains, moving up two places to 14th after scalping six wickets. Australian opener David Warner’s consistent performances have seen him rise four places to 26th in the batting rankings, courtesy of his scores of 66 and 25.
In the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings, Ireland’s Harry Tector has moved up one spot to joint-sixth position following his score of 60 against Nepal in the seventh-place playoff match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 in Harare. Scott Edwards of the Netherlands and Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka have also climbed up the batting rankings.
In the bowling rankings, Nepal’s leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has jumped five places to 24th after his impressive performance against the United Arab Emirates. Sri Lanka’s off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana and Scotland’s seam bowler Chris Sole have also made notable progress, climbing 21 and 23 places, respectively.
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