ICC Test Rankings: Rishabh Pant climbs to career-best rating on back of twin centuries

New Delhi [India] July 2 (ANI): Indian wicketkeeper/batter Rishabh Pant registered a career-best rating on the latest ICC Men's Test Rankings following his twin centuries during the opening Test of the ongoing series against England, according to the ICC website.
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.
It is one spot shy of the career-high ranking of five that Pant held during this corresponding period in 2022, but his overall rating of 801 points is a new best and has the keeper within 88 points of No. 1-ranked batter Joe Root.
Root maintains his narrow advantage at the top after scores of 28 and 53 not out during the Headingley contest, with teammate and No. 2-ranked batter Harry Brook 15 rating points behind his more senior teammate.
England opener Ben Duckett also improves to a new career-high rating in eighth place on the batter rankings following his match-winning innings of 149 in the second innings of the Leeds Test, while there are further movements inside the top 20 following the completion of two other Test matches around the world.
Australia defeated the West Indies by 159 runs in the opening Test in Barbados, with left-hander Travis Head gaining three places to move to 10th overall on the list for Test batters after a pair of half-centuries during the hard-fought contest on Kensington Oval.
Sri Lanka also clinched an emphatic victory over Bangladesh in Colombo, with Pathum Nissanka the big winner on the rankings as the right-hander rises 14 places to 17th overall for Test batters following his innings of 158.
There are gains for Sri Lankan teammate Kusal Mendis (up four places to 30th), while impressive South African youngster Lhuan-dre Pretorius enters the batter rankings at 68th following his century against Zimbabwe.
India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remains at the top of the rankings for Test bowlers following his five-wicket haul against England at Headingley, with Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood the big mover inside the top 10 as the right-armer gains one place to fourth overall.
West Indies quick Jayden Seales also gains a spot to move to ninth overall on the same list, while Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya earns a one-place rise to improve to equal 14th following his own five-wicket haul in the second innings against Bangladesh.
India spinner Ravindra Jadeja stays at the top of the rankings for Test all-rounders despite a modest output against England, while a pair of South Africans are rewarded following strong efforts against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Wiaan Mulder gains seven spots to improve to equal 15th after a century against Zimbabwe, while teammate Corbin Bosch jumps a whopping 42 places to move to 19th overall following his own hundred in the same match. (ANI)