NEW DELHI: England’s Harry Brook has ascended to the No.1 position in the ICC Test batting rankings on Wednesday, surpassing Joe Root.
Meanwhile, India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja continue to lead the bowlers’ and all-rounders’ rankings respectively in Test cricket.
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Following his eighth Test century against New Zealand in Wellington last week, Brook, aged 25, has accumulated 898 rating points, establishing a narrow one-point lead over his teammate Root.
This achievement places Brook alongside Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, sharing the 34th highest rating ever recorded for Test batters.
Root, who had maintained the top position since July when he displaced Kane Williamson, contributed scores of 3 and 106 in the recent Test. Brook’s performance included innings of 123 and 55 in England’s decisive 323-run victory over New Zealand.
“If you asked me, Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute,” Root said following England’s victory in Wellington.
“He has such an all-round game, he can absorb pressure, he can apply it, he can whack you over your head for six, he can scoop you over his head for six, he can smack spin, he can smack seam. He’s so hard to bowl to.”
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In the bowling rankings, Bumrah remains at the summit with 890 rating points, closely followed by South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (856) and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (851).
The all-rounders’ rankings continue to be dominated by Jadeja with 415 points, while Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz (285) has moved up to second position following his performance against the West Indies.