Indian opener Shubman Gill became the new No 1 batter in the world in ODI cricket, following his exploits in the three-match series against England. Gill amassed 259 runs at an average of 86.33 while striking at 103.6 including a couple of fifties and a century at his favourite venue, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and hence, left former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam behind. 

This is the second time Shubman Gill has surpassed Babar to take the numero uno position in the ICC ODI rankings with the Indian opener taking his rating points up to 796, 23 more than his Pakistan counterpart, who is in second place. Earlier, it happened during the 2023 ODI World Cup and Babar has a chance to snatch his place back with the Champions Trophy set to begin on Wednesday, February 19. Babar scored a cumulative 62 runs in three matches in the tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa and hence found himself dropping a few points on the log.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma is in the No 3 spot with 45 points behind Gill as he fell cheaply in the series finale against England after a century in the second ODI in Cuttack. Gill had an 87 and a 60 in the first two games before following them up with a scintillating ton at a ground he just can’t stop scoring.

Among other big gainers were Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka, who waged a lone battle with a century against Australia in the first ODI, while following it up with a half-century as he rose eight places to No 8. Heinrich Klaasen and Daryl Mitchell rounded up the top five while India’s own Shreyas Iyer moved up by one spot to No 9. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan with a century in the tri-series clash against South Africa, helped his cause with a six-place jump to the 15th spot.

Among bowlers, Maheesh Theekshana upsurged Rashid Khan to the top spot while New Zealand’s white-ball captain Mitchell Santner found himself in seventh place, climbing five places. The positions will keep changing throughout this week with the Champions Trophy beginning on Wednesday in Pakistan and the UAE.