Top 5 Indians in current ICC men's Test batting rankings ft. Rishabh Pant
India commenced their two-match Test series against Bangladesh with a brilliant 280-run victory, highlighted by several standout performances. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a determined fifty in the first innings, while Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant each scored remarkable centuries in the second.
However, senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had disappointing outings. The duo will be eager to make an impact in the second Test, starting Friday, September 27, at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
The Indian batter rankings saw considerable shifts after the first game, with some players making significant leaps while others fell out of the Top 10.
Former England captain Joe Root maintains the number one position in the ICC men’s Test batting rankings, with Kane Williamson in second. The list includes one Indian in the top five.
On that note, we will look at the top five Indian players in the current ICC men’s Test batting rankings.
#5 Yashasvi Jaiswal
Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is the only Indian batter in the top five, currently in fifth place with a career-high rating of 751 points. The 22-year-old scored 56 runs in the first innings, contributing to his impressive performance.
Since making his debut in 2023, Jaiswal has played 10 Tests, amassing 1,094 runs at an average of 64.35, including five fifties and three centuries.
This year alone, he has featured in seven Tests, scoring 806 runs at an average of 67.16, solidifying his position in the ICC men’s Test batting rankings. Notably, the left-handed batter ranks third for the most runs in all formats in 2024, with 1,099 runs from 15 matches.
#6 Rishabh Pant
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made an impressive return to Test cricket, playing his first match in a year and a half following a near-fatal car accident in December 2022.
The 26-year-old delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a century in the second innings against Bangladesh. He smashed 109 runs off 128 balls with the help of 13 fours and four sixes.
As a result of his performance, Pant has re-entered the ICC men’s Test batting rankings at sixth place with 731 rating points. His highest ranking was fifth, achieved in 2022 when he reached a career-best rating of 801 after a match against England at Edgbaston.
#10 Rohit Sharma
Indian Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma has fallen five places to 10th in the latest ICC men’s Test batting rankings, now with 716 rating points after a lackluster performance against Bangladesh. The opener managed only 6 and 5 runs across two innings. He will be eager to rebound in the second match.
Rohit’s highest ranking remains fifth, achieved in 2021 after a match against England at The Oval, where he earned a rating of 813 points. This year, he has played seven Tests, scoring 466 runs at an average of 38.83, including one fifty and two centuries.
#12 Virat Kohli
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has also dropped five places and now ranks 12th with 709 rating points. In the first Test against Bangladesh, he scored 6 and 17 runs in two innings. The Delhi cricketer missed the five-match series against England at home due to the birth of his child and has only played two Tests this year, accumulating 81 runs.
The 35-year-old achieved his highest ranking of 937 points after a match against England in Southampton in 2018, becoming the number one player in the ICC men’s Test batting rankings - India’s first batter to reach this milestone since Sachin Tendulkar in 2011.
#14 Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill was dismissed for a duck in the first innings against Bangladesh but made a strong comeback in the second, scoring an unbeaten 119 off 176 balls -his fifth Test century. This outstanding performance has earned him a career-best Test ranking of 14th, with 701 rating points.
In 2024, the right-handed batter has played seven matches, amassing 617 runs at an average of 56.09, which includes two fifties and three centuries. Overall, Gill has appeared in 26 Tests for India, accumulating 1,611 runs, with six fifties and five centuries to his name.