Babar Azam’s lead atop the MRF Tyres ODI Batting Rankings is steadily eroding, courtesy of India’s standout performer, Shubman Gill. Gill’s remarkable form in the first two matches of India’s ODI series against Australia has made him a formidable contender, accumulating a staggering total of 178 runs in the series’ initial encounters.
In the series opener in Mohali, the right-handed opener blazed a quickfire 74, and he followed it up by notching his sixth ODI century in Indore, propelling him to a career-high rating in the latest update of the ODI batsman list.
Gill now boasts an impressive 847 rating points, trailing Babar Azam by a mere 10 rating points as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup commences on October 5. Since Pakistan won’t engage in an official ODI match until their World Cup opener, and Gill is set to miss India’s final encounter with Australia, Babar will enter this year’s tournament as the top-ranked batsman.
Shubman Gill has scored 5 ODI centuries this year itself and is yet to play at least 8-9 ODIs during the World cup. That number can also increase if India reach the knockout stages of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
The Babar-Gill rivalry at the pinnacle of the batting rankings is expected to intensify over the six-week duration of the World Cup, with a substantial lead over their closest competitors.
South Africa’s powerful striker, Rassie van der Dussen, with 743 rating points, occupies the third spot in the batting rankings, lagging more than 100 points behind the leading pair. Meanwhile, Ireland’s rising star, Harry Tector, secures the fourth position, reaching a new career-high rating despite rain affecting much of his team’s ODI series against England.
India’s Shreyas Iyer (up eight places to 30th) and KL Rahul (up six spots to 33rd) have also climbed the rankings following their impressive performances against Australia. On the bowling front, India’s Mohammed Siraj maintains a narrow lead at the summit of the ODI bowlers’ list.
