In the latest ICC Test Rankings released on Wednesday, veteran middle-order batter Ajinkya Rahane and fast-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur made significant gains. However, the highlight of the rankings was the rare achievement by Australian batters, who occupied the top three places in the batting charts.
Rahane's impressive scores of 89 and 46 in the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval not only marked his comeback to the Indian team but also helped him return to the rankings in the 37th position. On the other hand, Thakur's contribution of 51 runs in the first innings propelled him six places up to the 94th position.
In a remarkable turn of events, Steve Smith and Travis Head joined top-ranked Marnus Labuschagne in the top three batting positions after their centuries in the WTC Final, which resulted in Australia's victory over India by 209 runs.
Labuschagne maintained his number-one position with an impressive 903 rating points. Smith advanced one place to secure the second position after scoring 121 and 34 in the final, while Player of the Match Head's scores of 163 and 18 propelled him to a career-best third position, climbing three places.
The battle for the second spot is incredibly close, with Smith accumulating 885 rating points, Head closely behind with 884, and Kane Williamson trailing with 883 rating points. The last time a similar scenario occurred in the Test batting rankings was in 1984 when West Indies players Gordon Greenidge (810 rating points), Clive Lloyd (787), and Larry Gomes (773) topped the list.
In other notable advancements, wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey climbed 11 places to secure the 36th position after his impressive scores of 48 and an unbeaten 66. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon moved up two places to the sixth position, and seamer Scott Boland climbed five places to secure the 36th position after both players claimed five wickets each in the match.
Shifting focus to the men's ODI rankings, UAE batter Vriitya Aravind made significant progress by climbing seven places to secure the 49th position. Aravind's scores of 36 and 70 against the West Indies in their home series played in Sharjah caught the attention of cricket enthusiasts. The visiting side emerged victorious in the series, winning all three matches.
Sri Lankan players Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga also showcased commendable performances, resulting in their upward movement in the latest rankings update. Nissanka climbed five places to secure the 62nd position among batters, while Hasaranga moved up two places to secure the 28th position among bowlers following the final match of the series against Afghanistan in Hambantota.