Joe Root’s prolific run against India lifts him back into the ICC ODI top 10 after a five-year absence. Photo: AFP/FILE
England batter Joe Root has re-entered the top 10 of the ICC men’s ODI batting rankings for the first time since 2020 after an outstanding performance in the recently concluded three-match series against India.
Root climbed four places to eighth after finishing as the leading run-scorer of the series. The experienced right-hander remained unbeaten throughout the contest, compiling scores of 76, 99 and 74 to amass 249 runs at a strike rate of 96.88. His consistency earned him the Player of the Series award and marked a welcome return to the elite group of ODI batters.
Despite England losing the series, Root’s form was one of the major positives for the hosts. His return to the top 10 highlights his continued value in the 50-over format after several years outside the leading rankings.
India captain Rohit Sharma retained fourth place in the latest batting rankings but reduced the gap to the top three following his match-winning century in the final ODI at Lord’s. Rohit smashed 138 to cap off the series after a relatively quiet start, strengthening his position among the world’s leading ODI batters.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell continues to hold the No. 1 ranking in ODI batting. India’s Shubman Gill remains second and trails Mitchell by just one rating point after scoring 188 runs during the England series. Virat Kohli occupies third place after contributing 144 runs, including two half-centuries, while Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran completes the top five.
England opener Ben Duckett also enjoyed a significant rise in the rankings after producing a memorable innings at Lord’s. Duckett jumped 11 places to joint-19th after smashing 141, the highest individual score recorded in a men’s ODI at the historic venue.
The latest ICC rankings also reflected notable changes in the bowling department following New Zealand’s 3-2 ODI series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner climbed three places to joint-fourth among ODI bowlers after taking two wickets in each of the third and fourth matches. West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie made an even bigger leap, rising seven places to joint-ninth after producing career-best figures of 5 for 49 in the fourth ODI.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan remains the world’s top-ranked ODI bowler, with Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed holding second place. England fast bowler Jofra Archer sits third, while Santner shares fourth position with South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj, underlining the growing influence of spin bowling in the 50-over format.
Among ODI all-rounders, New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell climbed to third after an impressive series against West Indies. Bracewell scored 86 runs across four innings and claimed eight wickets, overtaking Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi and Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, who now occupy fourth and fifth respectively.
Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai continues to lead the ODI all-rounder rankings, while Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz remains second. The latest rankings underline the impact of recent international performances as teams continue building momentum ahead of future ICC events.
