Joe Root moves to the second whereas Steve Smith surges to number three in the latest ICC Test Men’s Players Ranking after the Ashes Series.
The Ashes 2023 certainly lived up to its hype, providing a rollercoaster of emotions for fans from both England and Australia. Pat Cummins-led Australia started strongly, but England fought back admirably, winning the third and fifth Test matches to level the series 2-2.
As the series concluded, there were significant changes in the ICC Men’s Player Rankings. English players shone brightly, particularly Joe Root, the star batter, who moved up one spot to secure the second position in the Test rankings, closely trailing New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. Another standout performer was the young sensation Harry Brook, who moved up two places to sit comfortably in ninth place.
Among other English players, Jonny Bairstow, the wicketkeeper-batsman, climbed two places to 17th, while opener Zak Crawley secured the 29th spot. For Australia, Steve Smith retained his high standing, sitting in third place, and Usman Khawaja moved up to the seventh position in the rankings.
Turning to the bowlers, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continued to lead the Test rankings, but the most significant leap was made by retiring pacer Stuart Broad, who jumped four places to claim the fourth spot. Mark Wood achieved his career-best ranking, moving up two spots to 21st, and Chris Woakes secured the 23rd position. Among the Australian bowlers, Mitchell Starc moved up two places to stand at 12th, and young talent Todd Murphy reached his career-high ranking at 57th.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s impressive performance in the latest World Test Championship cycle resulted in significant advancements for Abdullah Shafique, who climbed an impressive 27 places to 21st in the Test batter rankings. Mohammad Rizwan also made notable progress, moving up four spots to secure the 29th position, and Agha Salman displayed remarkable improvement in the Test batter rankings.
Shifting gears to the ODI rankings, India’s dominant series win against the West Indies had a positive impact on their players. Ishan Kishan, the 25-year-old wicketkeeper, rose 15 places to the 45th spot in the ODI batter rankings. Star spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s exceptional performance across the three-match series led to his ascent to the 14th position in the rankings.
Overall, the conclusion of the Ashes 2023 and the ongoing performances in various cricket formats have significantly influenced the ICC player rankings, showcasing the outstanding talents and hard work of cricketers from around the world.
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