Babar Azam returns to ICC Test batting top 10 — Rishabh Pant slips further down the rankings

Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, has returned to the top 10 of the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings, adding another feather to his comeback with more responsibility as the leader, with the right-handed batter climbing five places and demoting the Indian wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant. 

Babar was recently given back the leadership of the five-day format during their West Indies trip and will continue to do the same for their England tour. He replaced Shan Masood and looked in good shape with the bat during the two games in Trinidad.

Babar climbs 5 places to no. 10 after twin knocks vs West Indies while Pant remains outside the elite bracket

Pakistan made a strong comeback in the second test of the series in the Caribbean with a victory to draw the series by a 1-1 margin as he smashed 88 runs in the first innings before remaining unbeaten on 24 runs in the successful run chase during the Port of Spain Test match.

The performance has taken Babar inside the top 10 for the very first time since September 2024, when he slipped out of the top 10 with a prolonged lean patch with the bat. Abdullah Shafique has been the biggest mover for them, jumping 25 places to No. 32 after an unbeaten 160 in the second Test.

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For Babar, the numbers carry a strong significance beyond the rankings. Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, has faced a demotion in the rankings and slipped to the 14th position in the table with a rating of 705.

Travis Head, Harry Brook and Joe Root lead the pack — Where do India's batters stand now?

Australia’s Travis Head sits at the top of the batting rankings with 853 ratings, while England’s two batters, Harry Brook and Joe Root, follow each other at the second and third positions with 852 and 840 points, respectively.

For India, their captain, Shubman Gill, comes at the seventh rank with 743 ratings, while their opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, remains at the ninth position with 733 ratings. 

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ICC Test batters rankings-