Azhar moves up to joint-eighth in Test rankings
Pakistan opener Azhar Ali has moved up to joint-eighth position in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen after the second Test in Bridgetown which the West Indies won by 106 runs on Thursday to level the three-match series at 1-1.
Azhar’s scores of 105 and 10 have helped him move up two places to be on par with South Africa batsman Hashim Amla in a list led by Australia captain Steve Smith. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq has retained 20th position after innings of 99 and zero in what was his penultimate Test match while opener Ahmed Shehzad has moved up four positions to joint-62nd rank after scores of 70 and 14.
For the West Indies, Roston Chase’s knocks of 131 and 23 have lifted him 21 places to a career-best 49thposition while Shai Hope has moved into the top-100 after gaining 19 positions to reach 101st rank with scores of 131 and 23 in Bridgetown.
In the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah’s nine-wicket match haul, which included an impressive seven for 94 in the second innings, has lifted him two positions to 13th rank. Pace bowler Mohammad Abbas is another Pakistan player to move up as he has gained 42 positions to reach 61st position after playing in only two Tests.
For the West Indies, new-ball bowler Shannon Gabriel and captain Jason Holder have attained career-best rankings. Gabriel’s nine-wicket match haul, which included a crucial five for 11 that helped dismiss Pakistan for only 81 in the second innings, enabled him to move into the top-20 as he gained 14 slots to reach 19thposition.
Holder’s three wickets in each innings saw him gain 12 positions and reach 40th rank. He has also moved up five positions to 11th rank in the list of all-rounders led by Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan.
MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings (as on 5 May, after the second Test between the West Indies and Pakistan)
Batsmen (top 10)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
1 ( - ) Steve Smith Aus 941! 61.05 941 v Ind at Dharamsala 2017
2 ( - ) K. Williamson NZ 880 51.16 893 v Aus at Perth 2015
3 ( - ) Joe Root Eng 848 52.80 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015
4 ( - ) C. Pujara Ind 846 51.32 861 v Aus at Ranchi 2017
5 ( - ) Virat Kohli Ind 818 49.41 895 v Ban at Hyderabad 2017
6 ( - ) Q. de Kock SA 802*! 51.26 802 v NZ at Hamilton 2017
7 ( - ) David Warner Aus 759 47.42 880 v NZ at Perth 2015
8= (+1) Hashim Amla SA 748 49.39 907 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2013
(+2) Azhar Ali Pak 748 46.51 787 v Aus at Melbourne 2016
10 (+1) Lokesh Rahul Ind 739*! 44.44 739 v Aus at Dharamsala 2017
Other selected rankings
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
14 (-6) Younus Khan Pak 720 52.32 880 v SL at Lahore 2009
20 ( - ) Misbah-ul-Haq Pak 683 46.91 842 v NZ at Abu Dhabi 2014
49 (+21) Roston Chase WI 503*! 39.85 503 v Pak at Barbados 2017
62 (+4) A. Shehzad Pak 454* 40.91 555 v SL at Colombo (PSS) 2015
101 (+19) Shai Hope WI 318*! 19.17 318 v Pak at Barbados 2017
Bowlers (top 10)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
1 ( - ) R. Jadeja Ind 898 23.12 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017
2 ( - ) R. Ashwin Ind 865 25.22 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016
3 ( - ) R. Herath SL 854 27.87 867 v Zim at Harare 2016
4 ( - ) J. Hazlewood Aus 826 25.39 863 v Ind at Bengaluru 2017
5 ( - ) J. Anderson Eng 810 28.50 884 v SL at Durham 2016
6 ( - ) S. Broad Eng 803 28.54 880 v SA at Johannesburg 2016
7 ( - ) K. Rabada SA 798* 23.69 821 v SL at Johannesburg 2017
8 ( - ) Dale Steyn SA 794 22.30 909 v WI at Centurion 2014
9 ( - ) Neil Wagner NZ 745 28.90 767 v SA at Dunedin 2017
10 ( - ) Mitchell Starc Aus 742 28.35 805 v Pak at Brisbane 2016
Other selected rankings
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating
13 (+2) Yasir Shah Pak 700 30.06 878 v Eng at Lord's 2016
19 (+14) S. Gabriel WI 600*! 33.20 600 v Pak at Barbados 2017
40 (+12) Jason Holder WI 425*! 36.92 425 v Pak at Barbados 2017
61 (+42) M. Abbas Pak 268*! 23.44 268 v WI at Barbados 2017
All-rounders (top five)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Highest Rating
1 ( - ) S. Al Hasan Ban 431 443 v NZ at Christchurch 2017
2 ( - ) R. Jadeja Ind 422! 422 v Aus at Dharamsala 2017
3 ( - ) R. Ashwin Ind 413 493 v Eng at Mohali 2016
4 ( - ) Ben Stokes Eng 327 /* 351 v Ind at Mohali 2016
5 ( - ) Mitchell Starc Aus 318 347 v Ind at Pune 2017
*indicates provisional rating; a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.
!indicates career-highest rating
For more information on player rankings, please click here.