Dubai: Young Indian cricketer Shubman Gill has surpassed former Pakistan captain Babar Azam to seize the No.1 position in the ODI batting rankings, just days before their teams are set to clash in the highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025.
In another significant update, Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana has achieved the top rank among ODI bowlers for the first time, overtaking Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, as reported by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on their official website.
This marks the second occasion that Gill has held the No.1 ranking in ODIs, having first reached this milestone during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2023. His recent century against England in Ahmedabad during the third ODI of the recently concluded series was instrumental in his rise past Babar Azam, who has now fallen to second place, trailing by 23 rating points. Meanwhile, India's captain Rohit Sharma remains in third place, 45 points behind Gill.
Several other batsmen have also made significant strides in the rankings. New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell moved up two spots to fifth, while Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka made a remarkable jump of eight positions to eighth. Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan climbed six places to achieve a career-best 15th position. Additionally, New Zealand's Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips improved by five and six spots, respectively, landing at 35th and 41st, while Pakistan's Salman Agha surged 24 places to 48th following impressive performances in the recent Tri-Nation series.
In the bowling rankings, Theekshana's outstanding performances during Sri Lanka's home series against Australia, including a four-wicket haul in the opening match in Colombo, facilitated his rise to the top. Although Sri Lanka will not compete in the Champions Trophy, his exceptional display against Australia has solidified his position as the leading bowler.
Rashid Khan has fallen to second place, now just 11 rating points behind the leader, while India's Kuldeep Yadav has ascended to fourth position. South Africa's Keshav Maharaj has made a return to the rankings at sixth, and New Zealand's Mitchell Santner has advanced four spots to seventh.
Afghanistan's seasoned all-rounder Mohammad Nabi continues to hold the top position in the ODI all-rounder category, while Santner has moved up one position to secure a spot in the top 10 at sixth.
With the ICC Champions Trophy approaching, these changes in rankings enhance the excitement surrounding the tournament, paving the way for exhilarating contests among the world's elite cricketers.
