Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has leapfrogged Steve Smith in the latest edition of the ICC Test player rankings, edging him closer to taking out the number one mantle across all three formats.
It has left Steve Smith out of the top three in the Test batter rankings after Babar effectively traded places with him by moving up from his previous spot of fourth.
Babar notched up scores of 119 and 55 in Pakistan's first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle last week, earning him the required rating points (now 874 points) to jump into third.
Babar Azam moves one step closer to becoming the #1 batter in all three formats 📈
Details 👉 https://t.co/4oh0odBIYa pic.twitter.com/cfhNo4EZ6J
— ICC (@ICC) July 28, 2022
Babar sits just 11 points behind Australian Marnus Labuschagne in second place (885 points), while former England captain Joe Root sits atop the pile with 923 points following his spectacular home summer so far against New Zealand and India.
Babar is currently ranked no.1 across both white-ball formats, and his rise up the Test rankings edges him closer to taking out the top position across all three formats.
"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," Babar told reporters last month.
"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."
Presenting you the "BIG ONE" of Cricket 🔥
Keep Shining and Raising ❤️
Babar Azam is Now Career Best No.3 Test Batsman Surpassed Steve Smith ... !!
... He is the Only Batter in the ICC Rankings to Feature in the Top 3 Across all Formats ....#BabarAzam𓃵 pic.twitter.com/Zhr9ZeDZQH
— MA Jabar (@majabar37) July 27, 2022
Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja has moved up one spot in the Test batter rankings to no.7.
Australian captain Pat Cummins also kept his spot as the top-ranked bowler in Tests.
Men's Test batting rankings
Joe Root (England) – 923 points
Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) – 885
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 874
Steve Smith (Australia) – 848
Rishabh Pant (India) – 801
Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – 786
Usman Khawaja (Australia) – 766
Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka) – 746
Rohit Sharma (India) – 746
Jonny Bairstow (England) – 742
Men's ODI batting rankings
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 892
Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) – 815
Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa) – 789
Quinton de Kock (South Africa) – 784
Virat Kohli (India) – 774
Rohit Sharma (India) – 770
Ross Taylor (New Zealand) – 752
David Warner (Australia) – 737
Jonny Bairstow (England) – 732
Aaron Finch (Australia) – 715
Men's T20I batting rankings
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 818
Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan) – 794
Aiden Markram (South Africa) – 757
Dawid Malan (England) – 754
Suryakumar Yadav (India) – 732
Aaron Finch (Australia) – 716
Devon Conway (New Zealand) – 682
Nicholas Pooran (West Indies ) – 667
Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka) – 661
Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa) – 658