Babar Azam moves up 5 places to a career-best 20th position in the latest ICC Test batting rankings

[MenInG]

South Africa fast bowler Duanne Olivier has reached a career-best 24th position in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings after another stellar performance in the final Test in Johannesburg, which his side won by 107 runs to complete a 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan.

Olivier’s match haul of eight for 125 has lifted him eight slots in the list led by his compatriot Kagiso Rabada while Olivier’s 24 wickets in the series not only got him the player of the series award but also see him gain 29 slots in the rankings after starting the series in 53rd place.

South Africa, who have reached second position in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings after their impressive series victory, also had their batsmen move up the rankings with Johannesburg man of the match Quinton de Kock (18 and 129 runs in his two innings) gaining 12 berths to reach 14th position. Former captain Hashim Amla (up three places to 10th) and opener Aiden Markram (up two places to eighth) have also made significant gains.

For Pakistan, Babar Azam has moved up five places to a career-best 20th position and Asad Shafiq is not far behind after inching up one slot to 23rd place. Openers Imam-ul-Haq (up 23 places to 73rd) and Shan Masood (up two places to 63rd) have also reached career-best positions.

Among their bowlers, Mohammad Amir has gained three slots to reach 31st position while other fast bowler Faheem Ashraf has lifted 48 slots to a career-best 58th position after finishing with six wickets in the match. Spinner Shadab Khan has also reached a career-best place after gaining 23 places to reach 78th in the list.

The emphatic series win has helped South Africa overtake New Zealand and England in the team rankings. South Africa have gained four points to reach 110 points, two points above England in the list led by India with 116 points. Pakistan have slipped behind Sri Lanka to seventh place and 88 points.

MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings (as of 15 January, after the South Africa-Pakistan series):

RANK TEAM POINTS

1. India 116

2. South Africa 110 (+4)

3. England 108

4. New Zealand 107

5. Australia 101

6. Sri Lanka 91

7. Pakistan 88 (-4)

8. West Indies 70

9. Bangladesh 69

10. Zimbabwe 13

11. Afghanistan 00

12. Ireland 00



MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings (as of 15 January, after the Johannesburg Test):


Batsmen (top 10)


Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating

1 ( - ) Virat Kohli Ind 922 53.76 937 v Eng at Southampton 2018

2 ( - ) K. Williamson NZ 897 51.44 915 v SL at Wellington 2018

3 ( - ) C. Pujara Ind 881 51.18 888 v SL at Nagpur 2017

4 ( - ) Steve Smith Aus 874 61.37 947 v SA at Durban 2018

5 ( - ) Joe Root Eng 807 50.44 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015

6 ( - ) David Warner Aus 772 48.20 880 v NZ at Perth 2015

7 ( - ) Henry Nicholls NZ 763*! 43.54 763 v SL at Christchurch 2018

8 (+2) Aiden Markram SA 741* 45.96 759 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018

9 ( - ) D. Karunaratne SL 715 37.08 754 v SA at Colombo (SSC) 2018

10 (+3) Hashim Amla SA 711 47.33 907 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2013



Other selected rankings



Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating

14 (+12) Q. de Kock SA 683 38.17 802 v NZ at Hamilton 2017

20 (+5) Babar Azam Pak 658! 35.28 658 v SA at Johannesburg 2019

23= (+1) Asad Shafiq Pak 643 38.94 758 v Eng at Lord's 2016

63 (+2) Shan Masood Pak 470*! 26.43 470 v SA at Johannesburg 2019

73 (+23) Imam-ul-Haq Pak 433*! 28.41 433 v SA at Johannesburg 2019

99 (+11) T. de Bruyn SA 332*! 20.35 332 v Pak at Johannesburg 2019



Bowlers (top 10)



Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating

1 ( - ) K. Rabada SA 882 21.41 902 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2018

2 ( - ) J. Anderson Eng 874 26.98 903 v Ind at Lord's 2018

3 ( - ) V. Philander SA 809 21.73 912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013

4 (-1) Pat Cummins Aus 804* 24.51 836 v Ind at Melbourne 2018

5 ( - ) R. Jadeja Ind 794 23.68 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017

6 (+1) Trent Boult NZ 771 27.90 825 v Eng at Lord's 2015

7 (-1) M. Abbas Pak 770* 18.86 838 v NZ at Abu Dhabi 2018

8 ( - ) Tim Southee NZ 767 29.93 799 v Win at Jamaica 2014

9 ( - ) R. Ashwin Ind 763 25.43 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016

10 ( - ) Jason Holder Win 751* 28.50 766 v Ind at Hyderabad 2018



Other selected rankings



Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Avge Highest Rating

24 (+8) D. Olivier SA 642*! 18.19 642 v Pak at Johannesburg 2019

31= (+3) M. Amir Pak 573* 30.47 658 v Eng at Lord's 2010

58 (+48) F. Ashraf Pak 292*! 26.09 292 v SA at Johannesburg 2019

78 (+23) Shadab Khan Pak 202*! 38.83 202 v SA at Johannesburg 2019



All-rounders (top five)



Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Highest Rating

1 ( - ) S. Al Hasan Ban 415 489 v Aus at Mirpur 2017

2 ( - ) R. Jadeja Ind 387 438 v SL at Colombo (SSC) 2017

3 ( - ) Jason Holder Win 365/* 381 v Ind at Hyderabad 2018

4 (+1) Ben Stokes Eng 342 396 v Win at Lord's 2017

5 (-1) V. Philander SA 341 378 v SL at Galle 2018



*indicates provisional rating; a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.

!indicates career-highest rating

 

[Shandarchowka]

Good news amidst all the gloom. Babar is a potential top 3 batsman in tests and he will reach there faster than anticipated, going by his series in South Africa. We have a gem in our hands!!

 

[Wonderwoman]

Good news amidst all the gloom. Babar is a potential top 3 batsman in tests and he will reach there faster than anticipated, going by his series in South Africa. We have a gem in our hands!!

If Edging your way to fluke 50+ score is considered gem .. then Yes!!

 

[Shandarchowka]

If Edging your way to fluke 50+ score is considered gem .. then Yes!!

Yeah true.. he edged his way to two 70's and one 49 and scored more runs than most of the South African batsmen in their conditions. Very fluky. Thank you for your enlightening opinion.

 

[Wonderwoman]

Yeah true.. he edged his way to two 70's and one 49 and scored more runs than most of the South African batsmen in their conditions. Very fluky. Thank you for your enlightening opinion.

Facts are not opinions, my friend!

 

[MenInG]

If Edging your way to fluke 50+ score is considered gem .. then Yes!!

Word fluke is a distorted opinion and is not supported by facts (which can be found on a scorecard)

 

[Shandarchowka]

Facts are not opinions, my friend!

You say he edged I say delicately placed to third man.. it's about perspective my friend.

 

[Shandarchowka]

Word fluke is a distorted opinion and is not supported by facts (which can be found on a scorecard)

Basically he is saying Babar's two 70's and one 49 in a low scoring bowler dominated series is all fluke. Why do we even argue?

 

[Green Patriot]

Happy for Babar however i think he needs to put in more work in terms of concentration and gritting it out.He is a great stroke player however needs to hang in there and convert his 50s.

I have high hopes for him though and he is currently one of our best batsmen and scoring on SA pitches against the top bowling attack of the year is no mean feat and deserves appreciation.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

If Edging your way to fluke 50+ score is considered gem .. then Yes!!

I am no fan of Babar but you clearly haven't watched a single game he played on the South African tour.

 

[Canford Cliffs]

Surprised he is at 20. He looks a better bat than that and surely top 5 batsman at present.

 

[Wonderwoman]

I am no fan of Babar but you clearly haven't watched a single game he played on the South African tour.

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

 

[topspin]

Surprised he is at 20. He looks a better bat than that and surely top 5 batsman at present.

Before 2018 he was still getting to grips with test. Last year he has averaged mid 50s in tests and followed it up with a decent tour to SA. Just needs to kick on with converting his 50s to centuries if he wants to make a name for himself.

 

[topspin]

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

This post reveals your lack of knowledge with the sport.

 

[Wonderwoman]

This post reveals your lack of knowledge with the sport.

Really, If all it matter is the scorecard then your tailenders are several times the batsmen than Azhar Ali. Do you believe that? Babar Azam's performance was an above average performance that's all. Nothing remarkable about it. Pak fans are clutching at straws finding positives in this disaster of a tour.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

That sounds exactly like Kohli fans saying "pitches were flat so he scored."

Can he do it on a swinging pitch on a damp day coming at 20-5 ?

Thats what it has come down to.

I hope you understand the ludicrous argument you are making.

 

[hadi123]

Hardly a cause for celebration.

 

[Bilal7]

Babar Azam is a future ATG. Fantastic batsman.

 

[big_gamer007]

Babar is solid now he needs to elevate his game to the next level and start scoring Daddy hundreds.. Averages are not built by scoring 60/70s he needs to work hard on his concentration and try to play for whole day.. The batting coach grant flower or maybe Younis khan should work with Babar and elevate his game to next level, he has all the right ingredients just need proper training..

Let's hope he and the coaches puts the hours in.

 

[Usman Chadda]

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

This poster’s cricketing knowledge is quite impressive.

Teams should start putting out ODI fields for Test cricket to impress this poster.

 

[mohan11]

Babar azaam is poor man 's Joe root. Nothing special.

 

[Buffet]

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

And those runs do count. Not everyone was able to score under the same circumstances. No one is saying that Babar is among the top 5 batsmen based on those 50-60 runs.

 

[Sachin136]

This post reveals your lack of knowledge with the sport.

While runs are runs, what he's saying is factually correct. The attacking fields have led to plenty of counterattacking innings specifically in SA. Most recently there was Pandya's innings.

 

[jadaja]

Can he do it at no3 is the question.He was very good in SA.

 

[iPakistani]

While runs are runs, what he's saying is factually correct. The attacking fields have led to plenty of counterattacking innings specifically in SA. Most recently there was Pandya's innings.

One innings* other than that he averaged 6 in the series.

 

[Ummii]

Mark my words Faheem will be in a top 10 ranking of test bowlers

 

[Usman Chadda]

While runs are runs, what he's saying is factually correct. The attacking fields have led to plenty of counterattacking innings specifically in SA. Most recently there was Pandya's innings.

This was Babar's first tour to South Africa, and he creamed one of the ATG bowlers of this generation all over the park. It wasn't just one innings, he was dominant the entire series. However he needs to work on his temperament to be successful in Test cricket.

 

[rhony]

If Edging your way to fluke 50+ score is considered gem .. then Yes!!

Watch the game. At least watch the highlights. Or at least read a bunch of articles written on them. Or read at least one. Then comment

 

[rhony]

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

That's called test cricket where there are attacking fields in general. They attack because they want to get the batsmen out. It is very difficult to survive when there are attacking fields because everything has to be close to perfect to negotiate the bowling on a tough pitch. One needs to have a decent technique, read the line and length early and should be able to attack or defend. On tough pitches there's a ball that has your name on it more frequently and one needs to be crafty enough to score and survive at the same time.

 

[rhony]

Test championship starts next year and best players want to be ranked at the top. Hopefully Babar will start at 4 and has enough time to score big runs. Should be in top 5 by 2020. That should be his goal.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Test championship starts next year and best players want to be ranked at the top. Hopefully Babar will start at 4 and has enough time to score big runs. Should be in top 5 by 2020. That should be his goal.

This was Pakistan's last Test series outside World Test Championship, which means next one is the start of it for Pakistan. Hence, Babar won't get any chance to improve his rank before it.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Babar Azam is a future ATG. Fantastic batsman.

And thats another hyperbole extreme end spectrum.

But in a world where Amla averaging 47 odd can be ATG, a 40 odd Babar definitely has a shout.

 

[Hasan123]

He has improved a lot in tests. Just needs to get some big scores now.

In ODIs, I hope he has with the same intent that he did in the tests.

 

[Sir Alex]

Playing his natural aggressive game helped Babar. Can take a leaf out of Sehwag in this regard. Pakistan should make him open.

 

[ChennaiFan]

Fantastic batsman! After the retirement of Younis Khan, Babar Azam is my favorite Pakistani batsman now.
Let us hope he doesn't get sucked into the habit of "dominating" the bowlers from ball one like many others tried in the recent past.

 

[MP2011]

Babar was very good in the test series especially considering the kind of pitches it was played on and the kind of attack SA had. However, he has to kick on after getting set. More often than not he does the hardest part of test batting, only to be let down by his impetuosity which I think he'll rein in sooner than later.

Kohli too had same problem earlier in his test career, he couldn't score daddy hundreds once he went past 3-figure mark. Now see, where he is.

 

[Abdullah719]

All his runs were scored because of super attacking fields set by SA. Had they been conservative he would have produced a middling score. Because of all things he has proven that he can hardly manage to play 100 balls in a test match.

First you said he got his runs via edges, now you're saying it's due to attacking fields. Progress, I suppose.

He faced 100+ balls in an innings 6 times last year.