Joe Root Rises To No 1 In ICC Test Ranking Replacing Marnus Labuschagne, Virat Kohli Slips To THIS Position

Former England captain Joe Root’s terrific performance in the 1st Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham has lifted him to the No. 1 position in the latest ICC Test Ranking released on Wednesday. Root replaces Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne, who slipped two positions to number three place behind New Zealand’s Kane Williamson after scoring just 0 and 13 in the 1st Ashes Test.

Former India captain Virat Kohli continued his downward slide in the ICC Test ranking. Kohli slipped to 14th position – down one more place from last week with just 700 ranking points.

Labuschagne held the top spot for just over six months, with the right-hander rising to the top in December last year on the back of a strong start to the Australian summer against the West Indies. But a slow start to 2023 by his lofty standards, coupled with Root’s 30th Test century against Australia in the dramatic first Ashes Test at Edgbaston has seen a major shakeup at the top of the batter rankings.

Root managed scores of 118 not out and 46 in a losing cause during the first Ashes Test in Birmingham and those superb individual efforts saw the 32-year-old rise a massive five places and regain his place as the No.1 ranked Test batter in the world.

Australians Travis Head (down one place to fourth) and Steve Smith (drops four spots to sixth) also lose ground in the race to become the No. 1 Test batter, with just 26 rating points now separating the top six players in what is one of the closest battles seen in recent times.

We have a new No.1 Test batter _

The latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's Player Rankings have thrown up a big surprise _https://t.co/XvrnVBPsCq — ICC (@ICC) June 21, 2023

Rishabh Pant is the only Indian batter in the top 10 position in the ICC Test ranking with the Indian wicketkeeper currently in 10th place. Indian Test skipper Rohit Sharma remained in the 12th position with 729 points.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam remains in 5th place in the Test ranking with 862 points. Australia opener Usman Khawaja was adjudged Player of the Match for his heroics against England and the 36-year-old rose to a new career best rating and seventh place overall, while young gun Harry Brook also earnt the highest mark of his short Test career by jumping five places to 13th on the latest Test rankings.

Ravichandran Ashwin retains No. 1 ranking

Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was dropped for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, remains the world No. 1 bowler with 860 with England pacer James Anderson in second place with 829 points.

England duo Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad both rise one place inside the top 10, while teammate Moeen Ali returns to the rankings in 52nd spot after he answered an SOS from skipper Ben Stokes to play his first Test in almost two years against Australia.