Dubai, Dec 11 (UNI) Joe Root’s reign as the best player in the world is over as rising England star Harry Brook confirmed his climb to the top by claiming the No.1 spot for the first time on the latest ICC Men’s Test Batter Rankings.
Brook overtakes Root to snatch the premier Test batter ranking on the back of his eighth Test century against New Zealand in Wellington last week, with the England right-hander now holding on to a narrow one-point advantage over his more experienced teammate at the top of the rankings list.
The rise of Brook to a total of 898 rating points is just one more than Root’s current haul of 897 and sees the 25-year-old join India great Sachin Tendulkar with the equal 34th highest rating of all time for Test batters.
Root has held top spot since he leapfrogged former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson in July this year and has been in the premier position a total of nine times over his glittering career.
Brook managed scores of 123 and 55 during England’s impressive 323-run triumph over the Black Caps at Basin Reserve and Root – who managed innings of three and 106 in the same contest – had no hesitation in nominating his successor as the best player in the world after the match.
“If you asked me, Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute,” Root said after England’s victory.
“He has such an all-round game, he can absorb pressure, he can apply it, he can whack you over your head for six, he can scoop you over his head for six, he can smack spin, he can smack seam. He’s so hard to bowl to.”
Root’s foresight was confirmed with Brook’s rise to the top, with the England pair swapping positions on the updated rankings for Test batters following a busy week in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Australia star Travis Head (up six spots to fifth) and South Africa captain Temba Bavuma (up three places to seventh) make ground inside the top 10 for Test batters following strong contributions with the bat for their respective countries, while former No.1 ranked batter Marnus Labuschagne improves three places to move to 13th.
Sri Lanka right-hander Dinesh Chandimal (up two spots to 15th) and South Africa keeper Kyle Verreynne (up 15 places to 23rd) also climb the Test batter charts, while a quintet of fast bowlers make eye-catching gains on the latest rankings for Test bowlers.
While India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah maintains his place at the top of the Test bowler charts, he has some fresh competition closing in with Australia skipper Pat Cummins (up one spot to fourth) and New Zealand seamer Matt Henry (up one place to ninth) making ground.
Fellow quicks Mitchell Starc (up three rungs to 11th), Chris Woakes (up two places to 15th) and Gus Atkinson (up four spots to 17th) also make gains, with South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj (up four spots to equal 18th) moving back inside the top 20 after bowling his side to victory on the final day against Sri Lanka.
India spinner Ravindra Jadeja stays at No.1 on the Test rankings for all-rounders, with Bangladesh skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz gaining two places to move to second following his side’s series against the West Indies in the Caribbean.
On the ODI rankings it’s a pair of West Indies players that make gains after the first two matches of their series at home against Bangladesh, with Shai Hope improving one spot to rise to eighth on the list for batters and teammate Gudakesh Motie jumping four places to ninth for bowlers.
There is some joy for Pakistan too on the updated T20I rankings, with skipper Mohammad Rizwan jumping two places to move to sixth on the list for batters and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi gaining six spots to jump to 20th for bowlers.
