DUBAI: India captain Shubman Gill has returned to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings following another prolific run with the bat, according to the latest rankings update released on Wednesday.
Gill’s rise comes after an impressive three-match ODI series against England in July, where he amassed 188 runs to strengthen his case for the top position.
The Indian skipper was also aided by the absence of New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell, who missed the final two ODIs of his side’s series against the West Indies due to injury.
As a result, Gill has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ODI batting rankings, marking the third time in his career that he has reached the summit.
While Gill’s return to the top was the headline movement among batters, there were notable gains elsewhere across the rankings.
In the ODI bowling rankings, Namibia spinner Bernard Scholtz made one of the biggest jumps inside the top 10. The left-arm spinner climbed five places to seventh after producing a series of strong performances during Namibia’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series campaign against Nepal and the Netherlands in Utrecht.
Meanwhile, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his rapid rise in international cricket.
The youngster was named Player of the Series during India’s T20I series in Zimbabwe after scoring 151 runs in three innings at an explosive strike rate of 196.10. Having played only six T20 internationals so far, Sooryavanshi surged an incredible 230 places in the ICC T20I batting rankings to reach 48th position.
India also enjoyed further gains in the T20I batting rankings, with Tilak Varma moving up two places to sixth and Shreyas Iyer climbing seven spots to 24th.
Among bowlers, Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani advanced 10 places to 26th, while India leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi registered one of the biggest jumps of the week, moving up 31 places to 41st.
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