ICC Test Rankings: Pakistan captain Babar Azam jump to 3rd spot, achieves career-best ranking points

Babar Azam on Wednesday, July 27 became the only batter to feature in the top 3 of ICC Rankings across all formats of the game. The Pakistan captain rose to No. 3 in the ICC Rankings for Test batters, leapfrogging former Australia captain Steve Smith after his heroics in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Babar Azam is No. 1 in ODIs and T20Is and No. 3 in Tests as the Pakistan captain achieved his best-ever career rating points of 874 in Test cricket. England star Joe Root is well ahead of the chasing pack at the No. 1 spot with 923 rating points while Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is at the 2nd spot with 885 points.

Babar scored almost 55 percent of Pakistan's first-innings runs during that Test, with the right-hander contributing 119 runs to a team score of 218 that ultimately helped the side keep in touch with Sri Lanka's first innings total of 222. Babar also chipped in with a fifty as Pakistan completed a record chase of 343 to take a 1-0 lead in the 2-match series.

Babar



Azam has revealed his dreams of becoming the No.1 batter across all formats of the game often in the past.

"As a player, it's a dream to become the No. 1 in all formats and, for that, you have to focus and put in hard work. It's not like if you are the top player in one or two formats, you go easy," Babar said in June.

"If you are to become No.1 in all three, you have to keep yourself fit and on track. There is back-to-back cricket and the gap is less. For that, you need to be extra fit."

ICC TEST BATTING RANKINGS (AS OF JULY 27)

1. Joe Root - 923 points

2. Marnus Labuschagne - 885 points

3. Babar Azam - 874 points

4. Steve Smith - 848 points

5. Rishabh Pant - 801 points

ICC TEST BOWLING RANKINGS

1. Pat Cummins - 891 points

2. R Ashwin - 842 points

3. Shaheen Afridi - 836 points

4. Jasprit Bumrah - 828 points

5. Kagiso Rabada - 818 points