Pakistan’s seasoned batter Babar Azam has fallen out of the top 10 in the latest ICC Test Rankings, dropping three places to 12th after a disappointing two-match series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. This marks a significant shift for the 29-year-old, who was previously among the top contenders in the rankings.
Babar, who has not managed a half-century in his last 16 Test innings, currently holds 712 rating points. His recent performance during the Bangladesh series has been a key factor in his decline in the rankings, reflecting a challenging period for the star batter.
In contrast, Mohammad Rizwan has become Pakistan’s highest-ranked Test batter, now holding the 10th spot. Meanwhile, middle-order batter Saud Shakeel also experienced a decline, dropping from 13th to 20th, while Salman Ali Agha made a significant leap, moving up nine spots to 31st.
On the global stage, England’s Joe Root continues to impress in the ICC Test Batting Rankings. Root’s back-to-back centuries in the second Test against Sri Lanka have pushed him to 922 points, widening his lead over New Zealand’s Kane Williamson by 63 points. Root is now just one point shy of his personal best rating of 923, achieved in July 2022.
Additionally, Gus Atkinson’s standout performance with both bat and ball has earned him dramatic ranking improvements. Atkinson jumped 48 spots to break into the top 20 for all-rounders and secured a place in the top 30 bowlers after a historic century and five-wicket haul at Lord’s.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s clean sweep against Pakistan in Rawalpindi saw Litton Das rise to 15th in the batting rankings after his crucial 138 in a rescue effort. His partner, Mehedy Hasan Miraz, also made gains, moving up to 75th in batting and 7th in the all-rounders list after a strong showing with both bat and ball.
