Gill attains career-best 2nd spot in ODI rankings

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Opener Shubman Gill has achieved a career-best second position and is the highest-ranked among three Indian batters, who are now in the top 10 of the ICC Men's ODI rankings issued on Wednesday.

The other two Indians in the top-10 are skipper Rohit Sharma (8th) and the peerless Virat Kohli (9th).

Last time, three Indian batters were in ODI's top-10 list, it was way back in January, 2019.

At that time, Rohit, Kohli and out-of-favour veteran Shikhar Dhawan were the three batters.

Gill, who had scored 58 and figured in a 121-run opening partnership with Rohit Sharma in the Asia Cup match against Pakistan, has moved up one spot while Indian skipper and Kohli have gained two places each in the latest chart released by the global cricket body.

Rohit has scored three successive half-centuries so far in the ongoing Asia Cup while Kohli advanced, thanks to his unbeaten 122 against Pakistan.

Pakistan also have three batters in the top-10 with less than a month to go for the start of the ICC men's ODI World Cup.

Captain Babar Azam is at the top and enjoys a lead of more than 100 rating points over Gill, while Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman are in fifth and 10 positions, respectively.

The latest weekly update, that also considers performances in three matches of the South Africa-Australia series and two matches of the England-New Zealand series, saw South Africa's Temba Bavuma closing in on a top-10 place after striking three centuries and two half-centuries in his last eight ODIs. He has advanced 21 places to 11th position while his previous best was 25th.

Australia players Davis Warner (up one place to fourth), Travis Head (up six places to 20th) and Marnus Labuschagne (up 24 places to 45th) have made significant progress as has the Indian pair of KL Rahul (up 10 places to 37th) and Ishan Kishan (up two places to 22nd).

New Zealand's Trent Boult is up to joint-second place among bowlers while Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa is in the top five of the bowling rankings for the first time after taking four wickets in the second match against South Africa. Indian left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has gained five places to reach seventh position after grabbing nine wickets in two Asia Cup matches.

Daily Pioneer
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