Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan make ground on Babar with latest rankings push

DUBAI: Indian batters Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan have reached new career-high ratings and made ground on the No.1 ranked batter in the world Babar Azam on the latest ODI Batting Rankings.

While Babar still holds a significant at the head of the ODI batter rankings, both Gill and Ishan have made inroads on the Pakistan skipper following their impressive starts to the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, states ICC.

Gill hit an unbeaten 67* during India's must-win clash against Nepal and moved up to a career-high rating of 750 rating points as a result and third-place on the ODI batter rankings less than one month out from the start of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

Kishan showed his class with a brilliant 82 during India's match with Pakistan in Pallekele and was also rewarded with a new career-best mark of 624 rating points and a 12-place rise to 24th on the updated list for ODI batters.

Babar has had just one innings thus far at the Asia Cup and showed just how destructive he can be with a superb 151 against Nepal and the inspirational Pakistan skipper still holds a commanding lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings with a total of 882 rating points, it said.

Powerful South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen holds on to second place narrowly, with Gill the latest challenger to the leading pair following his one-spot jump over the last week.

Sri Lanka dynamo Charith Asalanka (up eight spots to 29th) also makes ground on the latest ODI rankings for batters, while a host of international stars that are performing well at the Asia Cup have made good progress on the updated bowler rankings.

Pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi moves up four places to fifth overall on this list courtesy of his six wickets from Pakistan's first two matches, while teammates Haris Rauf (up 14 to equal 29th) and Naseem Shah (up 13 to 68th) own new career-high ratings following their impressive efforts.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan (up two places to 10th) is back inside the top 10 and Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana (up five spots to 15th) also makes good ground, with Australia duo Josh Hazlewood (first) and Mitchell Starc (second) still out in front in a competitive rankings list for bowlers, the statement read.

There was also plenty of movement on the latest T20I rankings following the completion of an exciting series between South Africa and Australia in Durban and the first three matches between England and New Zealand.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram moves up one place to equal third on the list for T20I batters and four spots to fourth for all-rounders following his efforts on home soil, while Australia counterpart Mitchell Marsh makes a move of 14 rungs to 11th for batters following his Player of the Series exploits.

New Zealand pair Glenn Phillips (up three places to 14th) and Finn Allen (up 22 spots to 22nd) make good ground on the T20I batter rankings that are headed by India's Suryakumar Yadav, while England skipper Jos Buttler (up two places to eighth) and youngster Harry Brook (up 51 spots to equal 27th) rise following some good scores against the Kiwis.

There is also some joy for England's best performers, with spinner Adil Rashid rising two places to second on the list for T20I bowlers and seamer Sam Curran improving one spot to eighth in a hotly-contested top 10 that is headed by Afghanistan ace Rashid Khan, it added.