South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder has surged in the latest ICC Test Batters Rankings following his record-breaking knock of 367\* against Zimbabwe in the second Test, propelling him 34 places up to 22nd position with 669 rating points. His remarkable innings has seen him overtake former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who has dropped to 23rd with 651 points.
In other notable changes, Pakistani Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel fell two spots to 13th, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan slipped to 21st with 671 points. T20I captain Salman Ali Agha dropped to 34th, and Test captain Shan Masood fell four places to 48th. Opening batter Abdullah Shafique moved down to 52nd, with Kamran Ghulam maintaining his 76th position. Saim Ayub also slipped one spot to 84th.
At the top of the rankings, England’s Harry Brook reclaimed the No. 1 spot, dethroning teammate Joe Root after a stellar 158-run innings in the second Test against India. Root now stands at second, 18 points behind Brook. India’s Shubman Gill rose 15 places to a career-high sixth spot following his remarkable 269 and 161 in the second Test, marking his first victory as captain.
England’s Jamie Smith also saw a significant rise, moving up 16 places to secure 10th position after impressive performances with scores of 184\* and 88.
In bowling, India’s Jasprit Bumrah remains the top-ranked Test bowler despite missing the Birmingham Test. His compatriot Mohammed Siraj climbed six places to 22nd after his solid performance. West Indies’ Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph also rose six spots, securing 29th and 31st places, respectively. Pakistan’s Noman Ali remains the only Pakistani player in the top 10 of Test bowler rankings.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka moved up to sixth position among ODI batters after his role in leading his side to a 2-1 series victory over Bangladesh. Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis also saw a significant boost, rising 10 spots to 10th following his Player of the Series performance. Babar Azam retained his second spot in the ODI batters rankings.
The shifts in the rankings highlight a dynamic and competitive environment, with both new stars rising and established names continuing to battle for dominance in both Test and ODI formats.
In other cricket news, the 2025 Top End T20 series has been announced, featuring 11 teams, including Pakistan Shaheens, Bangladesh ‘A’, Nepal’s national team, and USA-based Chicago Kingsmen, along with Australian domestic teams. The tournament is set to kick off on August 14 in Darwin, with Pakistan Shaheens facing Bangladesh ‘A’.
