Root, Pant rise in ICC rankings

LAHORE: England captain Joe Root and India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant have made considerable gains in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings after their match-winning performances in Galle and Brisbane Tests.

Root returned to the top five with his highest rating points tally (738) in two years after scoring a first-innings 228 to help England win the first Test against Sri Lanka by seven wickets. Root has advanced six places, overtaking Pakistan’s Babar Azam and India’s Cheteshwar Pujara.

Left-hander Pant’s unbeaten 89 on the last day in Brisbane that guided India to a sensational three-wicket victory over Australia took him to a career-best 13th position. He is the top-ranked wicketkeeper in the batting rankings. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock is the next wicketkeeper in the list in 15th position.

Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne’s first-innings century took him past Virat Kohli to third position with a career-best 878 rating points. Captain Tim Paine moved up three spots to the 42nd place after scores of 50 and 27. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood leapfrogged New Zealander Tim Southee to the fourth spot after grabbing six wickets in the match, including a haul of five for 57 in the first innings.

For India, Shubman Gill continued his upward trajectory, moving from 68th to 47th after a crucial 91 in the second innings. Pujara progressed one place to seventh position after his dogged effort.

Mohammad Siraj jumped 32 places to 45th position after taking six wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings.

England spinners Jack Leach and Dominic Bess made notable progress after their five-wicket hauls in Galle.

Leach’s second innings return of five for 122 lifted him three places to 40th while Bess’s first innings analysis of five for 30 took him from 67th to 50th.