Blistering run-scoring form takes Joe Root up to No. 2 in Test rankings for batters

August 18, 2021

Joe Root's blistering form in England's ongoing series against India has taken him to the second spot in the Test rankings for batters, only eight points behind the top-ranked Kane Williamson. Root has climbed to 893 rating points, with Williamson on 901.

In the two Tests so far, Root has scored 64, 109, 180* and 33, with his series tally of 386 runs the highest by a distance. Root has leapfrogged over the Australian duo of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, who are third and fourth. The Indian trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant remain at five, six and seven.

England are trailing 1-0 after defeat at Lord's in the second Test of the five-match series, and while Root has been their standout batter, James Anderson has been the home side's best bowler, and has climbed one spot. He is now at No.6, behind Pat Cummins, R Ashwin, Tim Southee, Josh Hazlewood and Neil Wagner. Anderson has 800 rating points, just 10 behind Wagner. Anderson also moved past Anil Kumble's tally of 619 on the list of highest wicket-takers in Test history during the the first Test.

KL Rahul, who made 129 in the first innings of the second Test, has jumped 19 spots and is now 37th in the batter's rankings. Rahul has been India's highest run-getter so far in the series.

Others who made gains after the Lord's Test include Mark Wood and Mohammed Siraj. Wood took five wickets in the match and moved up five places to 37th, although he hurt his right shoulder and is doubtful for the third Test, at Headingley from August 25. Siraj's eight wickets pushed him up 18 spots and he's now at 38.

Several players made gains from the first West Indies vs Pakistan Test too, which ended in a thrilling one-wicket victory for West Indies.

Babar Azam's 30 and 55 took him up two spots to eighth among batters. Meanwhile, Jason Holder broke into the top ten of the bowling rankings, gaining two positions to be No.9. Holder's good all-round returns - four wickets in the match and a fifty in the first innings - pushed him up the batting rankings too, up by five spots to be at 43. He thus further consolidated his top spot in the allrounder's rankings, and has 414 points now. Player-of-the-match Jayden Seales was another big mover, shooting up 39 places to the 58th spot in the bowling charts after his eight wickets in the match. Shaheen Afridi, too, gained four spots to move up to No. 18.

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