Ranking the 10 best men's batters in world cricket right now ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal & Harry Brook
This year has been a revelation for battership in men's cricket with several youngsters making the leap from promising talents to generational stars. After years of domination from the 'Fab Four' of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Kane Williamson, world cricket this year has been blessed with several youngsters establishing themselves as the best in the business across formats.
Yet, some of the legendary batters have also continued their dominance with the willow and made numerous telling contributions. All of which means picking the 10 best current batters out of performances across all formats this year is an ardous challenge.
The list featuring a terrific mix of young stars and old horses indicates batting is in safe hands and an exciting phase. Apart from the numerous marquee Test, ODI and T20I bilateral series, there was also the T20 World Cup that took prominence this year.
Taking into account all of it, here is the top 10 ranking of the best batters currently doing wonders in world cricket.
#10 Ben Duckett
England opener Ben Duckett has been arguably the most unsung star among batters over the past few months. While he hasn't lit up any format with his volume of runs or averages, the southpaw has been consistent in Tests and ODIs.
The 29-year-old scored a magnificent 153 in the third Test against India in Rajkot at the start of the year and helped himself to several half-centuries in England's home series wins over the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Duckett also impressed in the recent five-match ODI series against Australia, scoring 305 runs at an average of 61 and a strike rate of 109.71.
He is one of only eight batters to score over 1,000 international runs this year at a healthy average of 42.15 with two centuries and six half-centuries in 17 outings.
#9 Shubman Gill
If 2023 was Shubman Gill's dream ODI season, 2024 has been the same in the red-ball format. With question marks over his place in the Test side, the 25-year-old responded in style with two centuries and as many half-centuries in India's 4-1 home series win over England to start the year.
Gill then captained a second-string Indian side to a 4-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe, scoring back-to-back half-centuries in the crucial third and fourth T20Is with the series tied at 1-1.
The stylish right-hander continued his imperious Test form with a brilliant 119* in the recent Chennai Test against Bangladesh.
Gill has amassed 985 runs in 2024 at an average of 42.82 with three centuries and four half-centuries in 19 games. The youngster has been particularly impressive in Tests with an average of almost 51 and three centuries in eight matches.
#8 Pathum Nissanka
Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka has been a revelation in all three formats this year with his remarkable consistency.
The 26-year-old lit up the ODI arena with a double century and a century in the Afghanistan series in February. Nissanka continued the incredible form with another ton in the following ODI series against Bangladesh.
The defiant right-hander then made a series of valuable contributions in the T20 World Cup and the subsequent India T20I series. However, his best knock of the year came recently in the final Test against England at the Oval.
Nissanka scored a majestic 127* in Sri Lanka's stunning run-chase of 219 after a valuable 64 in the first innings to help the side to a famous eight-wicket win.
He is the leading run-scorer in ODIs with 598 runs at an average of almost 75 and a strike rate of 109.32. Nissanka is also the sixth highest run-getter in 2024 with 1,165 runs at an average of 48.54 with four centuries and half-centuries in 25 matches.
#7 Joe Root
That England's star Joe Root makes this list without playing a single ODI and T20I is an indication of his all-time dominance in Tests this year.
The 33-year-old is by far the leading run-scorer in Tests this year with 1,248 runs at an average of 65.68 and five centuries. Root started the year as the 10th all-time leading run-scorer in Tests and has jumped five places to 5th in just these ten months.
After a quiet start to the season, the champion batter exploded for a brilliant 122* in the fourth Test against India in Ranchi. Root's run-scoring was unstoppable from that point as he broke records for fun, culminating with a magnificent 262 in England's most recent victory over Pakistan in the first Test.
It was his third three-figure score in the last five innings and Root's ascent towards the top of several Test records feels inevitable.
#6 Travis Head
Travis Head is the lone Australian batter in this elite list, coming in at No.6 on the back of solid showings in the white-ball formats.
Despite Australia's surprising early exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Head was the third leading run-scorer with 255 runs at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 158.38. The 30-year-old displayed his clutch gene with a sparkling 43-ball 76 in the virtual quarterfinal against India that unfortunately ended in defeat.
While he has played only five ODIs this year, the southpaw has ensured to leave a mark with an average of 63 and a strike rate of 120. Head's best knock came in the opening ODI of the recent England series, scoring an unbeaten 154 off 129 to help Australia hunt down a target of 316 comfortably.
#5 Rohit Sharma
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has been as consistant, reliable and dominant ever across formats this year. The 37-year-old was the second leading run-scorer of the 2024 T20 World Cup with 257 runs at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of almost 157 on challenging batting wickets in the West Indies and USA.
Rohit's 92 and 57 to eliminate Australia and England from the tournament in back-to-back matches played a massive role in India clinching the title.
He also started the year with a scintilating 121* against Afghanistan in the home T20Is and smashed two centuries in India's 4-1 Test series win over England.
Rohit was also the lone shining light for India in their embarassing 0-2 ODI series defeat in Sri Lanka with two half-centuries.
The legendary batter is eighth in run-scoring in international cricket this year with 1,032 runs at an average of almost 40, including three centuries and six half-centuries.
#4 Kamindu Mendis
Has there been a better start to a Test career in the modern era than the one Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis has made?
The 26-year-old played only the lone Test against Australia before going on a Bradman-esque run this year. Mendis is the second leading run-scorer in the red-ball format in 2024 with 943 runs at an average of 94.30, including five centuries in only seven outings.
After lighting up Bangladesh for back-to-back centuries and a 92* in three innings to start his Test season, Mendis smashed England in English conditions for a century and two half-centuries.
The carnage did not stop there as the southpaw demolished the Black Caps in the recently-concluded two-Test series for 309 runs at an average of 154.50 with two centuries.
Mendis also impressed in the two ODIs he played this year, averaging 63 at a strike rate of 100. He has the fourth most runs across formats this year with 1,210 runs at an average of over 60, including five centuries and four half-centuries.
#3 Mohammad Rizwan
Pakistan have endured one of their worst seasons across formats in 2024, yet, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has consistently waged a lone hand in all three formats.
Despite batting in the lower middle-order, the 32-year-old averages 60 in Tests this year with a century and two half-centuries. Rizwan has been equally brilliant in T20Is with an average of almost 47 in 17 outings.
Even with Pakistan not playing a single ODI thus far this year, the veteran gloveman is the 12th leading run-scorer with 936 runs at an average of 52.
#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal
India's young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to dominate the cricketing world with the bat at the top of the order across formats.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a record-breaking home Test series against England to start the year, finishing with 712 runs at an average of 89. Jaiswal's tally was the third most by an Indian batter in a bilateral Test series behind only Sunil Gavaskar.
His remarkable Test run continued with three half-centuries in four innings in the recent Bangladesh series.
The attacking left-hander was also at his dominant best in T20Is, scoring 293 runs at an average of 41.85 and a strike rate of 172.35 in eight games.
Even as he continues to miss out on India's ODI setup, Jaiswal is the third leading run-scorer this year with 1,222 runs at an average of 58.19 in 16 games.
#1 Harry Brook
England's generational talent Harry Brook has grabbed world cricket like a storm with his incredible batting in recent times.
The 25-year-old had an excellent T20 World Cup campaign, averaging 72.50 at a strike rate of 157.60 during England's semi-final run. Brook continued the outstanding start to his Test career, scoring 694 runs at an average of 63.09, including two centuries and as many half-centuries this year.
He just became only the sixth Englishman to score a triple-century in the side's first Test win over Pakistan in Multan.
Brook also showcased his impeccable skills in the recent five-ODI home series against Australia, scoring 312 runs at an average of 78 and a strike rate of over 127.
He is currently the fifth leading run-scorer across formats this year with 1,169 runs at an average of 64.94, including three centuries and five half-centuries in 22 matches.