Joe Root has ascended to the top of the ICC Test batters' rankings, surpassing Kane Williamson. Root's climb was secured with an impressive 87-run performance in the first innings of the Birmingham Test against the West Indies, where he stood out as the only top-six batter to exceed 20 runs. England's lower order also contributed significantly, with Jamie Smith nearly scoring a century. Smith's performance boosted him 31 places in the rankings, landing him at No. 64.
Root's achievement is notable not only for regaining the top spot but also for surpassing Brian Lara's Test run tally of 11,953, making him the seventh-highest run-scorer in Test history. With 12,207 runs, Root now holds the most runs among active Test players, ahead of Steven Smith (9,685) and Virat Kohli (8,848). Root first reached the top of the Test batting rankings in August 2015 and most recently held the position in June 2023, following a strong showing in the opening match of the Ashes series.
England's fast bowler Mark Wood also made headlines, breaking into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time in his career, thanks to a Player-of-the-Match performance with figures of 7 for 92.
In the men's T20I Rankings, India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal climbed to No. 4 after scoring 80 runs at a strike rate of 178 in the three-match series against Sri Lanka, which India won 3-0. Shubman Gill moved up 16 places to a career-best 21st position. Sri Lankan batters Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera also made significant gains, moving up to 15th and joint-63rd, respectively. Additionally, India's leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, previously ranked as the No. 1 T20I bowler, has re-entered the top 10.