Pakistani batter Saud Shakeel has made a significant breakthrough, securing a spot in the top 10 of the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings.
Shakeel’s impressive form saw him jump 20 places, landing in seventh position following his standout performances during Pakistan’s Test series against England.
His crucial contributions were key to Pakistan’s 2-1 series victory, particularly in the third Test where the team dominated England with a solid 77-run first-innings lead on a spin-friendly pitch.
Shakeel now holds a rating of 724, with his career-high of 728 reached in 2023 during a match against Australia in Melbourne.
England’s Joe Root continues to top the rankings, followed by Kane Williamson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harry Brook, Steven Smith, and Usman Khawaja ahead of Shakeel. Marnus Labuschagne, Kamindu Mendis, and Rachin Ravindra round out the top 10, with Ravindra making a notable leap of eight positions.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Virat Kohli has dropped to 14th, while Babar Azam moved up to 18th. On the bowling front, Pakistan’s Noman Ali has climbed eight spots to claim ninth place, while Shaheen Shah Afridi slipped to 15th. South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada is now the top-ranked Test bowler, followed by India’s Jasprit Bumrah in third.
