India Duo Challenges Babar Azam In ICC ODI Rankings After Cuttack Batting Heroics

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has updated the ODI batters’ ranking as the two openers for India get closer to the former Pakistan captain, Babar Azam. The latter still holds the top ranking among the 50-over batters with a 786 rating.

The Blue Brigade is playing their maiden ODI series in the year as a preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on February 19 at the National Stadium in Karachi. It's the first game for the Rohit Sharma-led side in the campaign will be against Bangladesh.

India’s openers decrease the distance from Babar Azam

The Pakistan opening batter, Babar Azam, featured in six ODIs last year to club 228 runs at an average of 57 and a strike rate of 76.51, thanks to two half-centuries at the best score of 73. He maintained a narrow lead at the head after the two-time champions closed the distance with good efforts with the bat against England.

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Shubman Gill gains one place and moves to second place on the batter rankings, and is just five rating points away from Babar. The right-handed batter smacked two half-centuries while Rohit is within 13 rating points. Rohitcelebrated a fine century during the second ODI against England at the Barabati Stadium.

India’s Virat Kohli didn’t feature in the opening clash at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur due to a knee injury and failed the following game. He drops down to the sixth position with 728 points, as Ireland’s young batter, Harry Tector, and South Africa’s Heinrich Klassen complete the top five.

Shreyas Iyer smashed an aggressive half-century for India during the first ODI when India lost two early wickets in the chase. Kane Williamson, who celebrated a fine century against South Africa in Lahore, re-enters the ODI ranking to find himself at the 29th place.

Mitchell Santer jumps up among ODI all-rounders

Things are equally as tight near the top of the bowling ranks. The Afghanistan veteran, Mohammad Navi, maintains a narrow lead at the top of the ODI rankings in the all-rounder department. Mitchell Santer, the New Zealand white-ball captain, has jumped three places to climb to the seventh position with 234 points.

Wanindu Hasaranga and Josh Hazlewood have gone down among the all-rounders. In the ICC bowling rankings, India’s two bowlers sit outside the top 10 following a recent return against England. Sri Lanka’s Mahesh Theekshana wins the second position, as Rashid Khan enjoys the top place with six more points.

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Mohammad Siraj didn’t play the first two ODIs of the series and has gone down four places to the tenth position.

Usman Khawaja wins back the top ten Test ranking

The Australian opening batter, Usman Khawaja, who had a tough time against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at home, celebrated a fine double century against Sri Lanka in the opening Test at Galle. He carried the same form in the second encounter and has entered the top 10 ranking for Test batters as he jumped two places to equal ninth on the back of a strong series against Sri Lanka.

Nathan Lyon also reached a career-high rating and gained one spot to move to fifth in the latest rankings for Test bowlers. Zimbabwe’s lanky pacer, Blessing Muzarabani, is the big mover after the Bulawayo contest.

Australia's wicket-keeper, Alex Carey, smashed a fine knock of 150 in Galle and has gone up 11 places to 18th in the batters’ ranking. Ireland duo of Lorcan Tucker and Andy McBrine have also earned success.