Joe Root reclaims No.1 spot in the ICC Test batting rankings

Ace England batter Joe Root has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ICC Test batting rankings in the updated one announced on Wednesday, July 31. The right-handed batter dethroned Kane Williamson, who held the spot for quite some time.

The former England Test captain racked up a career-best of 291 runs in a three-match series recently facing the West Indies on home soil. His innings of 87 in the third and final Test in Birmingham helped the Yorkshire batter go past Williamson and now has 872 points.

The Englishman had first captured the No.1 ranking in the longest format in August 2015.

Williamson has dropped down to No. 2 after Root surged to the top spot. As a result, Babar Azam (Equal No. 3), Daryl Mitchell (Equal No. 3), Steve Smith (5th), and Rohit Sharma (6th) have gained one spot. Harry Brook, who was No. 3 ahead of the final Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston, fell to seventh after a rare failure.

Joe Root has Kumar Sangakkara's tally in sights after becoming the 2nd England batter to 12,000 runs

The series against the West Indies saw the 33-year-old overhaul the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Brian Lara on the list of highest run-getters in the format. He became only the second England batter after Sir Alastair Cook to score 12,000 Test runs.

Root could have also equaled Cook's tally of 33 centuries for England had he reached triple figures at Edgbaston.

With 12,027 runs, the Englishman now has Kumar Sangakkara in his sights as the Sri Lankan retired with 12,400 runs. The former captain will have plenty of opportunities this very year as England have Tests lined up against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand.

Ben Stokes and Co. will next host Sri Lanka in a three-Test series, beginning on August 21. The Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester will host the first Test.