England’s Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot on the ICC Men’s Test Batting rankings after his stellar efforts helped the hosts to a 22-run victory over India at Lord’s. Root (888 rating points) took back the number the No.1 spot off compatriot Harry Brook (862) thanks to scores of 104 and 40, as the hosts took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.It’s Root’s eighth stint in the top spot and at 34 he is the oldest batter at No.1 since a 37-year-old Kumar Sangakkara held the position in December 2014.Australian Steve Smith (816) also enjoyed a one-spot bump in the top 10, thanks to a gritty effort in a low-scoring affair in Jamaica against the West Indies.Smith made 48 in the tourists’ victory, with teammate Cameron Green making a 16-spot jump to 29th (619) thanks to scores of 46 and 42.Bowlers thrived under lights with the pink ball in the Carribean, with Scott Boland’s six-wicket effort in the Test (and a hat-trick) leapfrogging him to a career-best sixth spot.
His 62 Test wickets have come at just 16.53 apiece, with only George Lohmann and Sydney Barnes, who played over 110 years ago, having taken more Test wickets at a better average.Mitchell Starc’s incredible effort meanwhile didn’t lead to a rankings move (remaining in 10th), though the left-armer did make ground on the nine bowlers above him, moving to 766 rating points and just one shy of Marco Jansen in ninth.It means Australia have five bowlers in the top 10 with Pat Cummins (third) and Josh Hazlewood (fourth) remaining in their positions following the dismantling of West Indies, and with Nathan Lyon moving down a spot to eighth after making way for Boland for the match.It gives Australia a domination in the rankings not seen since England had six bowlers in the top 12 in 1958.West Indies quicks also relished at Sabina Park, with Shamar Joseph (up 15 spots to 14th), Justin Greaves (up 15 spots to 65th) and Alzarri Joseph (up two spots to 29th) also making moves.
At Lord’s, Washington Sundar (up 12 spots to 46th) was the the most notable mover in India’s meeting with England.Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara and Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain now sit in 16th and 17th thanks to nine and 12-spot jumps respectively, with Binura Fernando entering the top 50 for the first time with a 22-spot jump.Dasun Shanaka made an eight-spot move to 22nd in the T20I All-Rounders, with Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza moving two spots to 6th thanks to a quick-fire 54 not out against South Africa.
