ICC Test rankings: Babar Azam slips to 15th as Saud Shakeel makes big jump

The International Cricket Council has released its latest Test player rankings, bringing a major setback for the Pakistan batter. Babar’s fall means he is no longer among the 10 highest-ranked Test batters.

Harry Brook keeps top spot

England’s Harry Brook has retained the top position among Test batters. Australia’s Steve Smith moved up one place to second, while England’s Joe Root dropped to third.

Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha also improved his position and moved to 25th. The latest rankings show several notable changes among the leading Test batters.

Saud Shakeel makes big jump

Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel made one of the biggest gains in the latest rankings. He climbed 15 places to reach 18th position.

Mohammad Rizwan dropped seven places to 33rd. Shan Masood fell three places to 41st, while Salman Ali Agha also dropped three places and now sits at 43rd.

Starc leads Test bowling rankings

Australia’s Mitchell Starc remains the top-ranked Test bowler. New Zealand’s Matt Henry moved up one place to second, while England’s Ollie Robinson climbed six places to fifth.

Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando also made progress, moving up four places to 11th. Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas is ranked 15th, while England’s Josh Tongue rose four places to 13th.

England’s Gus Atkinson suffered a major drop of 10 places and moved down to 24th. The latest rankings show strong movement among bowlers as well as batters.

Babar Azam’s drop to 15th is the biggest setback for Pakistan in the latest Test rankings. His fall outside the top 10 highlights the pressure on him to regain consistency in the longer format.

Saud Shakeel’s rise is a positive sign for Pakistan. The strong jump could give the team another important batter to rely on in future Test matches.

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