Joe Root rises to top spot in ICC Test rankings – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Former England skipper Joe Root has surged towards the number one spot in the latest ICC Test rankings, overtaking Australia’s Marnus Lambuschagne in the process.

This comes on the back of a successful run with the bat thus far in the home Test series against New Zealand, where he scored two centuries across the two Tests matches played so far.

While he scored an unbeaten 115 in the first Test to lead England home by five wickets, Root amassed 176 in England’s first-innings fightback in the second Test, where they responded with 539 to New Zealand’s 553. England would go onto win the second Test, and seal the series with one game to spare, with Jonny Bairstow (136) and Ben Stokes (75*) starring in the chase of 299.

In the first Test early in June, Root had become just the second England batter after Alastair Cook to join the elite list of completing 10,000 runs in Test cricket. The ongoing Test series is Root’s first since relinquishing Test captaincy early this year, following a Test series defeat to West Indies.

Lambuschagne is in second place, while fellow Australian Steve Smith remains in third place, with Babar Azam and Kane Williamson fourth and fifth respectively.

Australia play Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, so that will allow Marnus to give himself a chance in retaining top spot.

England’s upcoming assignments include the third Test against New Zealand, one-off rescheduled Test against India and a three-match series against South Africa.

Babar Azam, on the other hand, currently holds the number one spot in both ODI and T20I batters’ charts.