Cheteshwar Pujara jumps to sixth position in ICC Test batting rankings

Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian batsman, has moved up to sixth in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen. In the recent Border Gavaskar Trophy, though he averaged in the 30s, he ended as India’s second-highest run-scorer with three half-centuries.

The Saurashtra cricketer topped Pakistan’s Babar Azam, who didn’t have the best of Test matches with the bat against South Africa in Karachi. Pujara was criticized for his strike-rate, but he managed to weather the storm and played some match-winning hands for his team.

Cheteshwar Pujara thrives in adversity

In the Brisbane Test, he copped blows on the head, fingers, and body, but he stood tall to the challenges. In the rankings, Ajinkya Rahane also moved a place up after he scored a century in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli retained their first and fourth position in the Test batsman rankings. England’s Ben Stokes has slipped two places down to 10th in the rankings. In the bowler’s rankings, James Anderson has moved one place up to sixth. India’s Ravi Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah have retained their respective eighth and ninth spot in the rankings.

Earlier, Paul Stirling from Ireland moved to the 20th position in ICC’s ranking for ODI batsmen after he notched 285 runs against Afghanistan. The right-hander notched tons in the second and third ODIs. Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz went to fourth, progressing nine spots. He also became the Player of the Match in the second ODI against the West Indies in Mirpur.

Significant changes in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Player Rankings for batting ?

Full list: https://t.co/gDnVaiQl0W pic.twitter.com/PPRDZKvuMp

— ICC (@ICC) January 30, 2021