Shubman Gill, the emerging Indian cricket sensation, has dethroned Babar Azam as the No. 1 ODI batsman in the world, marking a historic moment in his young career. Gill’s ascent to the top spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Batting Rankings was fueled by his impressive performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He becomes only the fourth Indian player to achieve this prestigious ranking, following in the footsteps of cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli.
Gill’s remarkable journey to the pinnacle of ODI batting rankings is attributed to his consistent run-scoring in the tournament. He posted a formidable 92 against Sri Lanka and contributed 23 runs against South Africa, accumulating a total of 219 runs from six innings in the competition.
In contrast, Babar Azam, Pakistan’s captain and the former No. 1 ODI batsman, couldn’t maintain his reign as the top-rated batter. His World Cup performance, yielding 282 runs from eight innings, saw him lose his grip on the throne and fall six rating points below Gill, now settling for second place.
This significant development coincides with a momentous day for Indian cricket, as it also witnessed Virat Kohli’s resurgence, surging to fourth place in the ODI batting rankings, and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has moved up to the sixth spot.