Virat, Rohit continue to lead ICC ODI rankings for batsmen

Manchester, Sep. 17 (IANS): Star Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have maintained their top two positions in the latest ICC rankings for ODI batters which got updated following the completion of the three-match series between England and Australia. While Kohli is at the numero uno spot with 871 rating points, Rohit has 855 rating points and is currrently placed at the second spot.

Meanwhile, England opener Jonny Bairstow and the Australia pair of Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey, all of whom slammed centuries in the final match of the series at the Old Trafford on Wednesday, have made remarkable gains in the rankings.

Bairstow topped the three-match series aggregate with 196 runs after his 126-ball 112 in the final match to make a return to the top 10. The previous best for the 30-year-old was ninth position in October 2018. He is now within 23 points of his career-best rating points of 777.

Maxwell and Carey, who were involved in a 212-run fifth-wicket stand that helped Australia complete a thrilling three-wicket victory and take the series 2-1, are next to each other in the rankings table led by Kohli and Rohit.

Maxwell has gained five places to take joint 26th position along with Paul Stirling of Ireland after scoring 186 runs in the series, while Carey comes in next after his total of 152 runs elevated him 11 places to a career-best 28th position.

Others to move up in the list include Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne (up 20 places to a career-best 63rd) and Sam Billings of England, who scored 118 in the first match to finish with 183 runs in the series, only behind Bairstow and Maxwell, making it to the top 100 for the first time.

England all-rounder Chris Woakes is a major gainer in the rankings for bowlers, advancing three places to a career-best fourth position after finishing with six wickets in the series. Woakes is now second in the list of all-rounders after also notching 89 runs in the series. His compatriot Ben Stokes is among those he has overtaken to reach within 20 points of Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi.

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has returned to the top 10 for the first time in nearly two years, his player of the match performance of 3/34 in the first match the highlight of a four-wicket tally. He has moved up from 15th to eighth position.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer has gained 18 slots to reach a career-best 10th place after finishing with seven wickets in the series including a player of the match effort of 3/34 in the second match.

Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa’s series-topping 10 wickets have lifted him to 21st position.

Five-time World champions Australia collected 20 points from their first series of the Super League, introduced to add context to bilateral ODI series. The top seven teams from the Super League and hosts India book direct spots for the 2023 World Cup.

England lead the points table with 30 points but are the only team to have played two series, winning 2-1 at home against Ireland early on in the championship.