England captain Joe Root has risen two places to second in the latest International Cricket Council Test batting rankings after a superb unbeaten century against India last week.
Root started the LV= Insurance series a couple of weeks ago in fifth place but a ton at Trent Bridge moved him above India counterpart Virat Kohli and another hundred at Lord's has bumped the Yorkshireman up again.
Knocks of 180 not out and 33 in a losing cause – India prevailed by 151 runs to move 1-0 ahead in the five-match series after England capitulated on the final day – mean Root is now only below Kane Williamson in the ICC's standings.
↗️ Joe Root rises to No.2↗️ Babar Azam moves up two spots The latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's Test Player Rankings for batting 👇 🔗 https://t.co/OMjjVx5Mgf pic.twitter.com/ERYzCGm9Pc — ICC (@ICC) August 18, 2021
Root has been at the top of the batting charts before, in August 2015 after helping England regain the Ashes, and he is now just eight points adrift of New Zealand skipper Williamson's 901.
James Anderson took five for 62 in the first innings of the second Test at the home of cricket – the Lancastrian's 31st five-wicket haul – and he has moved up one place to sixth in the bowling rankings, ahead of South Africa's Kagiso Rabada.
