Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli enter top 10

Indian opener Shubman Gill has attained a career-best second position, with only Babar Azam ahead of him in the latest ODI Batting Ranking released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The 24-year old Punjab batter Gill, who had scored 58 and figured in a 121-run opening partnership with his skipper Rohit Sharma in the recent Asia Cup Super 4 match against ODI no.1 ranked team Pakistan, laid the foundation for India’s resounding 228 runs. He is the highest-ranked among two other Indian players who are also among the top 10 of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, the first time this happened since January 2019. Rohit Sharma and former Indian skipper Virat Kohli who crossed the 10,000 and 13,000 ODI runs marks respectively during the course of the continental premier tourney too have gained two places each and are sitting in eighth and ninth positions. Sharma had scored a half-century against defending champions Sri Lanka in their latest Super 4 match on Tuesday early this week in his team's thrilling 41-runs victory that ensured them a spot in the final, while Kohli advances thanks to his unbeaten 122, against Pakistan, his 47th ODI century overall.

Sharma, Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan were the three batters in the top 10 in the previous instance more than four years ago while those three were also in the top six of the batting table back in September 2018.

Pakistan also have three batters in the top 10 less than a month from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Captain Babar Azam is at the top and enjoys a lead of more than 100 rating points over Gill, while Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman are in fifth and 10 positions, respectively.

Other Indian batters who have made significant progress include wicket-keeper batters KL Rahul (up 10 places to 37th) and Ishan Kishan (up two places to 22nd).

Among bowlers New Zealand’s left arm pacer Trent Boult is up to joint-second place among bowlers while Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa is in the top five of the bowling rankings for the first time after taking four wickets in the second match against South Africa.

India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has gained five places to reach seventh position after grabbing nine wickets in two Asia Cup matches.

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has soared eight spots and is in 21st position while India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (up eight places to 27th) and all-rounder Hardik Pandya (up 21 places to 56th) have also made big gains. Pandya is also up four places to sixth among all-rounders.