Pakistan’s all format skipper Babar Azam has improved his Test ranking despite lackluster performance in the recently concluded two match series against Sri Lanka which the green shirts won 2-0.
In the latest ICC Men’s Test Rankings released on Wednesday, stylish right-handed batsman jumped two spots to the fourth position despite scoring just 76 runs in three innings of two tests against Sri Lanka.
He largely benefitted from the demotion of Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head following their below par performance in the Ashes.
Labuschagne and Head lost their rating despite finishing seventh and eighth highest-scorer in the Ashes series against England.
Australia’s Steve Steve Smith jumped from fifth to third position while England’s Joe Root grabbed second slot.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, who last played a Test back in March this year, retained the top position with a ranking of 883.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi has jumped three positions to sixth after bagging six wickets in two Tests series against Sri Lanka.
Saud Shakeel and Abdullah Shafique also improved their rankings after hitting maiden double centuries against Sri Lanka.
Saud Shakeel ranked at 15 and Abdullah Shafique at 21.
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leads the bowlers’ chart.
England’s pacer Stuart Broad grabbed fourth position which would be his last ranking as he had retired from Test cricket.
