Indian opener Shubman Gill has now formally taken down Pakistan’s Babar Azam to be named the new world No. 1 batter as per the most recent ICC ODI rankings. 25-year-old Punjab batsman Shubman now occupies 796 rating points, clearly taking down Babar’s 773 points. It is for the second time during his professional life that Shubman has earned the best ranking in the England ODI series.
Gill’s rise to the No. 1 spot comes after his stellar performances in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England. He played a crucial role in India’s dominant display, scoring 87 off 96 balls in the first ODI at Nagpur’s VCA Stadium on February 6.
He followed it up with a solid 60 off 52 balls in the second match at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. In the last ODI against Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Gill gave a match-winning century, scoring 112 runs from 102 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes.
Indians to Become No. 1 ODI Batter Ranking
With this feat, Gill is among a few elite Indian cricketers who have held the No. 1 ODI batter ranking earlier:
- Sachin Tendulkar
- MS Dhoni
- Virat Kohli
- Shubman Gill
Indian supporters and the team administration will pray that Gill maintains his outstanding form in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hoping to guide India to its third title victory in tournament history.
Other Indian Players Shine in ICC Rankings
Shreyas Iyer also improved in the recent ICC ODI rankings. The middle-order batsman who made 59, 44, and 78 runs, respectively, in the three ODIs versus England, has gained one spot and is now the world No. 9 ODI batsman with 679 points. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma holds onto his No. 3 position, while the previous skipper Virat Kohli stays put at No. 6 on 729 points.
Theekshana Becomes No. 1 ODI Bowler
In the rankings of bowlers, Sri Lanka’s Mahesh Theekshana has surpassed Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to become the No. 1 bowler. Theekshana has 680 rating points, whereas Rashid has 669 points.
As the cricketing fraternity prepares for the Champions Trophy 2025, everyone will be looking at Shubman Gill and whether he can continue his phenomenal form on the big stage.
