The latest update to the ICC Men’s Test Rankings has brought significant changes among the world’s leading batters. England vice-captain Harry Brook has reclaimed the No.1 position in the batting charts after his crucial contribution in England’s victory over New Zealand in the opening Test at Lord’s.
Brook’s rise comes after a strong performance in a low-scoring contest, while several players from India, England and New Zealand also enjoyed substantial gains. Among them, India’s Shubman Gill continued his upward trajectory following a commanding century against Afghanistan in the one-off Test.
Harry Brook dethrones Joe Root to become No.1 Test batter
Brook has returned to the summit of the ICC Test batting rankings with 869 rating points, overtaking his England teammate Joe Root. The stylish right-hander was one of the standout performers in the Lord’s Test against New Zealand, scoring a vital half-century in conditions that heavily favoured bowlers.
His knock of 56 proved crucial in England’s 115-run victory and helped him reclaim the No.1 ranking that he first achieved in December 2024. In contrast, Root endured a disappointing outing with scores of one and eight across the two innings, resulting in him slipping two places to third.
Australia’s Travis Head has capitalised on Root’s drop, moving up to second place with 853 rating points. The rest of the top four remains unchanged, with Steve Smith occupying fourth position after another consistent period in red-ball cricket. Further down the rankings, Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis climbed to fifth, edging past New Zealand veteran Kane Williamson. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma retained seventh place, highlighting the growing competition among the world’s elite Test batters.
Shubman Gill headlines India’s gains in latest rankings
India opener Gill emerged as one of the biggest movers in the latest rankings update. Following his century against Afghanistan, Gill jumped two places to eighth and strengthened his position among the top-ranked Test batters in the world. The elegant right-hander’s rise underlines his growing consistency in the longest format and gives India two batters inside the top ten, with Yashasvi Jaiswal occupying ninth position despite slipping one spot.
England also witnessed encouraging progress from several members of their Test setup. Ben Duckett climbed three places to 15th after his contributions against New Zealand, while wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith surged five spots to joint 23rd.
New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips was another major beneficiary, gaining 15 places to move up to 40th following his fighting performances at Lord’s.
Gus Atkinson breaks into top 10 among Test bowlers
Apart from the batting charts, there were several notable changes in the Test bowling rankings. England fast bowler Gus Atkinson climbed seven places to break into the top ten, moving up to 10th among Test bowlers. He also improved his standing among Test all-rounders, rising to sixth position. New Zealand seamer Kyle Jamieson and England pacer Ollie Robinson returned to the Test bowling rankings after lengthy absences from red-ball cricket, occupying 22nd and 23rd spots respectively.
Fellow Kiwi Nathan Smith was another major mover, gaining 16 places to reach 43rd. With the second Test between England and New Zealand scheduled to begin at The Oval on June 17, the race for the No.1 Test batting ranking is expected to remain one of the biggest storylines in world cricket over the coming weeks.
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