Virat – Babar neck and neck in ODI rankings

Kohli closes in on Babar following rapid ODI rankings rise

Virat – Babar : Kohli smashed two centuries while amassing a whopping 283 runs from three innings during India’s recent ODI series sweep over Sri Lanka and the right-hander jumped two places to fourth overall on the latest list for ODI batters.

While Pakistan skipper Babar Azam remains way out in front with 887 rating points, Kohli rises to a total of 750 points and has second-placed Rassie van der Dussen (766) and third-placed Quinton de Kock (759) well within his sights.

Kohli isn’t the only India player to make giant strides on the latest set of rankings that were released by the ICC, with teammates Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav also well compensated for their performances against Sri Lanka.

Gill hit a century and a fifty during the series and his 207 runs at an average of 69 helped the opener improve 10 spots to 26th overall on the rankings for ODI batters.

But it is perhaps Siraj that makes the most eye-catching move, with the 28-year-old jumping a massive 15 spots to third on the list for ODI bowlers following his nine wickets for the series.

No bowler picked up more wickets during that series and Siraj improves to a career-best rating of 685 points to close in on pacesetters Trent Boult (730) and Josh Hazlewood (727).

Kuldeep was also rewarded for his five wickets from just two matches against Sri Lanka, with the left-armer jumping seven places to 21st on the latest bowler rankings.

A trio of players from Pakistan and New Zealand also moved up the rankings following the recent completion of their ODI series in Karachi.

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson scored 164 runs during the series and moved up three places to eighth overall on the latest batter rankings, while teammate Devon Conway improved from outside the top 100 to 50th after a century and fifty throughout the three games.

Mohammad Nawaz was the big mover for Pakistan, with the left-arm spinner improving 12 spots to 28th on the list for bowlers after collecting six wickets for the series.