ICC Test Rankings: Brook Dethrones Root As No.1 Batter, Equals Sachins Career-Best Rating; Bumrah Maintains Top Spot Among Bowlers

Brook snatched the premier Test batter ranking from Root on the back of his eighth Test century against New Zealand in Wellington last week, with the right-hander now holding on to a narrow one-point advantage over his more experienced teammate at the top of the latest ICC rankings.

The 25-year-old Brook has a total of 898 rating points, one more than Root, and joins India great Sachin Tendulkar with the equal 34th highest rating of all time for Test batters.

Notably, Root has held top spot since he leapfrogged former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson in July this year and has been in the premier position a total of nine times over his glittering career.

Brook scored 123 and 55 in England’s impressive 323-run victory over New Zealand, while Root had innings of 3 and 106 in the same Test.

On the other hand, Australia star Travis Head (up six spots to fifth) and South Africa captain Temba Bavuma (up three places to seventh) made ground inside the top 10 for Test batters after strong contributions with the bat for their respective teams, while former No.1 ranked batter Marnus Labuschagne improving three places to move to 13th.

Sri Lanka right-hander Dinesh Chandimal (up two spots to 15th) and South Africa keeper Kyle Verreynne (up 15 places to 23rd) also climbed the Test batter charts.

Meanwhile, India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah maintained his place at the top of the Test bowler charts and he has some fresh competition closing in with Australia skipper Pat Cummins (up one spot to fourth) and New Zealand seamer Matt Henry (up one place to ninth) making ground.

Mitchell Starc (up three rungs to 11th), Chris Woakes (up two places to 15th) and Gus Atkinson (up four spots to 17th) also made gains, with South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj (up four spots to equal 18th) moving back inside the top 20 after bowling his side to victory on the final day against Sri Lanka.

India spinner Ravindra Jadeja stayed at No.1 on the Test rankings for all-rounders, with Bangladesh skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz gaining two places to move to second following his side’s series against the West Indies in the Caribbean.