Dubai, July 2 (IANS) India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant surged to a new career-high rating in the latest ICC Men’s Test Batter Rankings on the back of twin centuries for India during the opening Test of the ongoing series against England away from home.

The 27-year-old showed his class with innings of 134 and 118 as India fell to a five-wicket loss and, in the process, gained one spot to move to sixth overall on the latest rankings for Test batters, achieving a personal-best rating of 801 points. This surpasses his previous highest rating and places him within striking distance — just 88 points — of current No.1 Joe Root.

Pant is now just one spot shy of his career-best ranking of fifth, which he attained during the same period in 2022.

Root, who notched 28 and an unbeaten 53 in England’s series-opening victory, retains his top spot, holding off teammate Harry Brook by 15 rating points. Brook stays in second place after contributing steadily at Headingley.

England opener Ben Duckett also attained career-high rating in eighth place following his match-winning innings of 149 in the second innings of the Leeds Test. Duckett’s fearless innings ensured England chased down their target with authority and sealed a crucial victory.

Australia defeated the West Indies by 159 runs in the opening Test in Barbados, Travis Head gained three places to break into the top 10 at 10th overall after a pair of half-centuries that helped Australia secure a 159-run win over the West Indies.

Elsewhere, Sri Lanka’s emphatic win over Bangladesh in Colombo saw their batters make notable moves. opener Pathum Nissanka has galloped 14 places to 17th after scoring 159 in Sri Lanka’s innings and 78 runs victory in the second Test against Bangladesh that helped win the WTC series 1-0.

Meanwhile, South African debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius has entered the rankings in 68th position after the left-hander struck 153 runs as South Africa defeated Zimbabwe by 328 runs in Bulawayo to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

On the bowling front, India’s Jasprit Bumrah remains the No.1 Test bowler after another masterful display that included a five-wicket haul at Headingley.

Australia’s Josh Hazlewood move up one slot to fourth position after finishing with seven wickets in Bridgetown including a five-for in the second innings. West Indies pacer Jayden Seales rose to ninth.

Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabhath Jayasuriya and Taijul Islam of Bangladesh have also moved up after five-wicket hauls in the Colombo Test. Jayasuriya has gone up one slot to joint-14th position and Taijul is up two places to 16th.

–IANS

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