Change in ODI Batter Rankings: Rohit Sharma poised to surpass Babar Azam as top-ranked player

Dubai [UAE]: Rohit Sharma, India's seasoned captain, is edging closer to Babar Azam at the top of the ODI rankings for batters. Additionally, a Sri Lankan opener has also shown significant progression in the rankings.

Openers from India and Sri Lanka have been the big winners after they made good ground near the top of the updated ICC Men's ODI Batter Rankings, as per the ICC.

Pakistan's Babar Azam holds a healthy lead at the head of the list for ODI batters, he has some fresh challenges in the form of India skipper Rohit Sharma and Sri Lanka right-hander Pathum Nissanka.

Rohit overtakes teammate Shubman Gill and rises one place to second behind Babar on the back of his series-best 157 runs against Sri Lanka, while Nissanka also gains a spot to move to eighth following his 101 runs from the same series.

Sri Lanka broke a 27-year drought by defeating India for the first time since 1997 during that ODI series, with Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando also making some gains on the latest list for 50-over batters.

Hard-hitting Netherlands opener Max O'Dowd and USA's Monank Patel also made ground on this list, while USA's Nosthush Kenjige and Sri Lanka spinner Dunith Wellalage were among the big movers on the ODI rankings for bowlers.

There was also some movement on the latest Test player rankings, following the draw between the West Indies and South Africa in Trinidad, as per the ICC.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma finds a new career-high rating and improves two places to 16th on the list for Test batters following scores of 86 and 15* against the Caribbean side, while opener Tony de Zorzi gains 29 places to improve to 85th following an excellent 78 in the first innings of the ICC World Test Championship contest.

Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze were among the movers for Test batters from a West Indies perspective, while South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj was the biggest eye-catcher on the latest list for Test bowlers.

Maharaj claimed four wickets in each inning on the way to Player of the Match honours and the left-armer improved seven spots to rise to equal 21st as a result.

The West Indies will be pleased by the ongoing progress of spinner Jomel Warrican, who rises 12 spots to 54th and gains a new career-best rating following his six scalps for the match.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

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